HISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Fourth Regiment 
 
 S. C. VOLUNTEERS, 
 
 FROM THE 
 
 Commencement of the War until 
 Lee s Surrender. 
 
 BY J. W. REID. 
 
 SHANNON & CO., Printers and Stationers, 
 Greenville, S. C. 
 
Entered according to the Act of Congress in the year 1891, by JK SSK 
 WAI/TON REID, in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washing 
 ton, D. C. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 DEAR READER : The Fourth Regiment of South Caro 
 lina Volunteers was made up principally from Green 
 ville, Anderson and Pick ens (which then enbraced what 
 is now Oconee) Counties. 
 
 The field officers were J. B. E. Sloan, Colonel; Charles 
 S. Mattison, Lieutenant-Colonel, James Whitner, Major. 
 Samuel Wilkes was Adjutant, A. C. Cooley, Surgeon, 
 Burnham. Assistant Surgeon, Henry Cauble. Com 
 missary. 
 
 The Captians of Companies were Kilpatrick, Hum 
 phreys, Dean, Anderson, Pool, Hawthorne, Long, Hol- 
 lingsworth, Griffin and Shanklin, with a full quota of 
 Lieutenants and non-commissioned officers. 
 
 This Regiment was called out April 14th, 1861, and 
 went to Columbia, S. C., from which place I wrote my 
 first letter home, and from that time on 1 endeavored 
 to give an account of our travels until the Regiment 
 ceased to be even a battalion, in July, 1862. As the 
 reader will see, I wrote a great many letters to my 
 family during this period, which were all taken care of 
 and which I have here copied from the originals, leaving 
 nothing out, except a few things of a private nature. 
 I have also used precisely the same language that I did 
 in the letters, because I could use no better 
 
 In writing the letters at that time I stated nothing 
 but facts in regard to our movements, or what I 
 thought to be facts, and I can also say that I still think 
 them facts. 
 
 A goodly number of my old companions in arms and 
 others, knowing that these letters had been preserved, 
 have urged me for several years back to have them 
 
VI 
 
 published. I have at length concluded to do so, hoping 
 they may to some extent interest the reader and bene 
 fit the writer. Please pass over all errors, as I have 
 never studied grammar a day in my life, and am by no 
 means a learned man. I hope that grammar is not 
 what you want, but a plain statement of facts. These 
 pages are written so the most illiterate person can un 
 derstand, and if so, most assuredly a scholar can. 
 Without further remarks, I will say, "Such as I have, 
 give I unto thee." 
 
 Very respectfully yours, 
 Greenville Co., S. C. J. W. REID. 
 
HISTORY OF THE FOURTH REGIMENT 
 
 -OF- 
 
 SOUTH CAROLINA VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 COLUMBIA, S. C., June 8, 1861. 
 
 There has nothing important transpired since I wrote 
 you a few days ago. Since the taking of Fort Sumter 
 I have heard of 110 more fighting, but as the ball has 
 opened there is no telling at present how or when it 
 may end, but it cannot reasonably be doubted by any 
 one that is familiar with the present situation of affairs, 
 that there will be fighting to do, and a great deal of it. 
 
 I have no doubt in my mind but that we will be sent 
 on to Virginia soon. Everything seems to point that 
 way. Virginia is where the Federal army is concentrat 
 ing its forces, and there is where I think we will meet 
 them ; and if we do go I will try to keep you posted on 
 our movements, our ups and downs, our outs and ins 
 at least, so long as I am able to do so until hostili 
 ties cease, should I be spared through it all. Let our 
 united prayers be that I may be spared. 
 
 Since coming to Columbia I have met up with a great 
 many of oar friends aad acquaintances from Greenville 
 and some of our relations ; also, some from Pendletoa 
 and other places. Your brother Robinson Tripp s two 
 eldest sons, William and Elias, are here, and your 
 cousin, Ware Childers. David Keesler of Pendleton is 
 also here. I shall not at present give you the names 
 of acquaintances that I have formed here. I may 
 have occason in future letters to refer to some of them, 
 and sad to contemplate, it is probable that I may have 
 to chronicle the death of some of them. 
 
 Our boys here are very jubilant over the taking of 
 P ort Surnter, and so am I. But the the taking of Fort 
 Snmter is not exactly taking or whipping into submis- 
 
8 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 sion the Yankee nation, or Yankee army. That thing 
 remains to be done hereafter, if at all. It will not be 
 done in a day. Big men seem willing to drink all the 
 blood that will be spilled in this war. I do not feel 
 quite drouthy enough to do so myself, and I think 
 they will have to be as big as they feel before they do 
 so. They may possibly be able to drink all they them 
 selves have shed, but I fear they will not be able to 
 take the whole bottle. Time will show. 
 
 We are still drilling every day, but so far as I am con 
 cerned I could drill them as well as they can drill me, 
 as you know I have been a commissioned officer ever 
 since I was eighteen years old, and already understand 
 military tactics and army regulations very well. Never 
 theless I drill with the balance of them. When we are 
 not drilling the time is pretty much taken up by drink 
 ing popskull, frying pan cakes and bruising around gen 
 erally. You may ask: Why fry pan cakes ? Ans: Be 
 cause the dough sticks to our hands and we don t know 
 how to get it off. Please send me a receipt. We make 
 the latter with a spoon. 
 
 Most of the boys here think that we are just going to 
 have a frolic. I think so too, but I fear that we will 
 have to dance something besides hornpipes and jigs. 
 
 It reminds me of 
 
 " A Highland laddie heard of war, 
 
 Which set his heart in motion ; 
 He heard the distant cannon roar 
 
 And saw the smiling Ocean." 
 
 Our immediate neighbors are mostly all well. Mr. J. 
 J. Land is sick, but not dangerously so. I will write 
 soon, Providence permitting. 
 
 Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. I had written two or three letters to my wife before thi one, 
 but as I had given her no instructions to keep them, they were therefore 
 not taken care of as those I wrote afterwards. However, they contained 
 nothing that would interest the reader of to-day. Neither will those 
 that will follow the preceeding letter for some time, but in order to pre- 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 9 
 
 serve a connected account of the movements of the glorious Fourth, they 
 are inserted. It ceased to be even a battalion in the latter part of 1862, 
 When I ariive at that point I will inform you as near as I can of what 
 became of the few that were left of the " Bloody Old Fourth," as it was 
 familiarly known. Now, dear reader, follow m and get it all. 
 
 COLUMBIA, S. C., June 14, 1861. 
 
 Everything and everybody is in commotion here to 
 day. We have orders to make ready to start to Vir 
 ginia to-morrow. I suppose there is no doubt but that 
 we will go, and if so, the Lord alone knows when we 
 will get back. Most assuredly, with some of us at least, 
 that time will never come. But don t let the thought 
 of that disturb you at all. Try to think that I will be 
 among those who will get back, and I will try and think 
 the same; in fact I do think I will. There seems to be 
 something within me that assures me that I will get back, 
 and still I am by no means certain of it; neither can I be, 
 but still I feel as as though 1 would. Since coming to 
 Columbia I have visited all the places of note in the city; 
 and although I had been here often before, I had never 
 been to the lunatic asylum before. I expect I should have 
 been there long ago. It may be that they can bring in 
 sane persons to sanity there. I can t say, but I can say 
 that it would work the other way with me. for I was not 
 there but a short time, and in less than three hours after 
 wards I hardly knew whether I was a rebel soldier or an 
 Irish Yankee. There is, however, a glimmering possibility 
 that going to the ayslurn was not th^ prime cause of my 
 insanity, as several of the boys swear that they have seen 
 me so before from causes too delicate to mention. At any 
 rate I did not again visit the ayslum, but I did visit Hunt 
 again. 
 
 There were several herefrom about home and from Green 
 ville to see us off in the morning. If we do go you will 
 hear of it in a day or two. I send you rny carpet bag and 
 contents by Mr. E. J. Earle. He can tell you more than I 
 now have time to write. I send you my likeness by Mr. 
 Earle also. 
 
10 History of the Fourth Regiment, 
 
 I musj: now close and prepare for my journey. I will 
 write again at the first opportunity. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 NoTK. We went the next day as anticipated. 
 
 CAMP NEAR RICHMOND, VA., June 18th, 1861. 
 When I last wrote to you we were preparing to leave 
 Columbia, S. C. Accordingly on the next day, the 15th, 
 we left our native State, and on the night of the 17th 
 reached Richmond. I shall say but little about our trip 
 here. It was, to say the least, quite an unpleasant trip, 
 as we came the most of the vvay in open dirt coaches. We 
 came by the way of Wilmington, N. C. At every depot and 
 town we passed the ladies and gentlemen had gathered to 
 give us a welcome. Flags and handkerchiefs were waved in 
 profusion; every one seemed to be in hiirh spirits. We 
 were treated to all we could eat and drink (and that was 
 considerable) at every place we stopped at. Some time 
 before we reached Petersburg the Captain of the company 
 to which I belonged Thomas Dean by name telegraphed 
 on to Petersburg to have dinner ready for his entire com 
 pany when we arrived there. We were to pay Captain 
 Dean afterwards. Accordingly when we arrived the dinner 
 was ready, and so were we; but before eating the most of 
 us took as an appetizer a doze of rot-of-pop-skull. I don t 
 know that I ever saw 7 men come so near eating the worth 
 of their money before in my life. A corn-husking or log 
 rolling would look like a fast day by the side of it. I do 
 think that Bill - - ate at least two chickens, and other 
 things in proportion, and then filled every pocket that he 
 had, except the one his flask was in, with pies, cakes and 
 other desserts, and then took a baked chicken off in his 
 hat. After we had been on the train a while, at an un 
 guarded moment, for some unkowri cause, he took off his 
 hat, and out fell cold speck on the floor. As you were 
 never at a shooting match where they were shooting for 
 mutton, and the mutton an eye witness to the proceedings, 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 11 
 
 of course you don t know how he looked, but I do. Rich 
 mond is a good, big place, and is situated at the head of 
 tide water on the James River. I don t suppose that we 
 will remain here long-, but will go further North, w r here we 
 will meet our brethren of the North, and it is more than 
 likely that we will fall out and fight before we are together 
 very long. 
 
 I will close this letter. I will doubtless write again 
 soon. Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. This .trip from Columbia to Richmond, at that time, beat 
 anything that I ever saw for non-discipline and insubordination in 
 soldiers. It seems that every man in the regiment mistook himself for 
 Commander-in-Chief of the regiment. Whiskey was plentiful and 
 cheap ; every man had as much as he wanted, and a great many had a 
 great deal more than they needed. I suppose that there was some few 
 that did not drink any ; but if so, your humble servant, the writer of 
 this note, had not the pleasure of their acquaintance. I was truly glad 
 when we got to Richmond, where we had a partial rest. We still 
 had whiskey in abundance, but it was not long before it was less 
 plentiful and harder to get at, and I was truly glad of it, and then times 
 went on more smoothly, and it was for the better of us all. 
 
 LEESBURG, LOUDON Co., VA., Jan. 24th, 1861. 
 When I last wrote you I was at the City of Richmond. 
 In that letter I stated to you that I did not think we 
 would remain there lonjr, and such really turned out to be 
 the case. We left Richmond on the 20th, and arrived at 
 Manassas Junction the 21st, but only remained there a 
 few hours, and then went on some eight or ten miles to a 
 little place called Gainesville, and remained there all night. 
 On the 22d we for the first time took up the line of march 
 on foot, and on the 23d arrived at this place. On our 
 route we passed the old homestead of President Monroe, 
 a very beautiful place. We are camped here, near the 
 town of Leesburg, which is on the Potomac River. We 
 are at an advanced post, being in advance of our main 
 army. We are said to be only twenty-seven miles above 
 the City of (Abraham) Washington. This is a rich and 
 
1 2 History of th e Fo urth Reg im en t 
 
 beautiful country and a great place for cattle, and the 
 land literally flows with milk and honey. So we are by no. 
 means suffering for rations, as provisions of all kinds are 
 plentiful here and easily obtained. We are now in plain 
 view of the mountains, and nearly in view of the men we 
 came to see, as they are just on the other side of the river, 
 and our business here now is to try to keep them from 
 crossing over; but if they do succeed in crossing the Poto 
 mac River, some of them at least will have to cross Jor 
 dan, and some few of them may have to cross over another 
 noted stream, called the River of Styx, and that is the last 
 watering place this side of Hades. 
 
 Whilst in camp near Richmond I found a beautiful little 
 money purse. I took it away off in the woods to examine 
 my fortune. With trembling hand and palpitating heart 
 I opened it; it contained a negro woman s pass and two 
 copper cents. Is it possible that I can ever lack for money 
 again. I got me a new pair of shoes while at Richmond, 
 and if I have to travel much more in them I will have 
 corns to dispose of. The Virginians here say that^he 
 Yankees are as afraid as death of South Carolinians. I 
 don t know about that, but I do know that South Caro 
 linians are not afraid of them. 
 
 Called to drill. Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 LEESBUKG, LOUDON Co., YA., June 30th, 1861. 
 Nothing new of import has occurred here since I wrote 
 to you on the 24th inst. The Yankee Doodles have not 
 as yet crossed the river as I have heard of, but as I have 
 before said, if they do cross we will try our best to make 
 them recross. They are nearly in sight of us, but they are 
 in Maryland and we in Virginia, the river being the line. 
 They may and no doubt will cross, but if not I feel prett} 
 certain that we will not cross over to them. I am no gen 
 eral, corporal or scoundrel, but my private opinion is that 
 it would be very bad logic in us to cross over to them, as 
 I don t think we should be the invaders. It is an accepted 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 13 
 
 fact here now that we will have some hard fighting to do 
 before a great while. If so I say let it come; that is what 
 we came here for, and the sooner we go at it perhaps the 
 sooner it will end, and I mean to do what fighting I have 
 to do as soon as possible and get back home to Dixie. 
 
 Since commencing this letter I have been put on guard. 
 I was put on at eight o clock this morning and will be 
 relieved at eight to-morrow morning. I am now writfng 
 on my knee at the guard house, when off of post, w T hich is 
 two-thirds of the- time; so excuse bad writing, for my 
 chances at writing are very bad. Make yourself no uneas 
 iness about me if you can help it. 1 will try. and do the 
 best I can for No. 1. I have not missed a roll call since I 
 came into the service. I send my best wishes to Colonel 
 Parke, E. J. Earle, A. M. Holland, and all inquiring 
 friends. I hope the neighbors will treat you well. I have 
 come here and left everything that is dear to me on earth 
 to fight and suffer all manner of hardships to protect 
 their property, not my own, w 7 hilst many of them who 
 have property are still at home with their families in fact 
 they are the ones as a general rule that stay at home; and 
 I think honor dictates and justice demands that they 
 should see to the families of the poor horny-handed sol 
 diers who are doing their fighting, hundreds of miles frarn 
 home and friends. Will we poor soldiers ever be recom 
 pensed for what we are doing? I fear not. I now go on 
 post. Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. In the above letter, written nearly thirty years ago, you will 
 see that I doubted the poor soldiers ever getting anything for what 
 they were then undergoing for the wealthy men of the South. I know 
 very well that there has been several theoYies advanced as being the 
 cause of the war, and it cannot be successfully denied but that it was 
 the negro, and nothing but the negro, a fact which any chuckle- 
 headed school boy is familiar with. But as to the poor soldier ever 
 getting anything, I am about of the same opinion now that I was thirty 
 years ago. It don t seem to matter how old or how poor and infirm a 
 soldier may be, he can t get anything unless he was nearly killed in 
 time f of the war. It reminds me of an anecdote that I will here relate : 
 A man that in former times did a great deal of hauling to Augusta, 
 Ga., was in the habit of having something crank to say to persons that 
 
14 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 he would pass. On one occasion his son John was driving the wagon 
 and he was walking behind. He passed an old man sitting in a door 
 shoemaking, but said nothing to him, but a little further on he came 
 to a stout-looking young man chopping wood. " Is that your father 
 back yonder that was shoemaking," he added. " Yes," replied the 
 young man. " You had better go to your father, for he dropped dead 
 just as we passed the house." The young man dropped his axe and 
 ran to the house, but soon returned, cursing and abusing the man in 
 a dreadful manner. The man called out, "John, come back here quick ; 
 this man is cursing me all to pieces because his daddy is not dead." 
 So they don t give the poor, infirm soldier anything because he was 
 not killed in the war. The poor, infirm soldier should get something 
 after he becomes of a certain age. 
 
 [This letter is rather a continuation of the preceding 
 one, written June 30th, 1861.] 
 
 Next Thursday will be the Fourth of July, and on that 
 day the United States Congress will meet, arid then it will 
 soon be known what we may depend upon. The universal 
 opinion here is that we will be pushed forward. As to my 
 own part I feel confident that such will be the case. There 
 was a false alarm here last night. It was reported that 
 the enemy had crossed the river in large numbers. We 
 were ordered to pack up every thing and cook up two days 
 rations, in case we should have to fall back to our main 
 army, in the vicinity of Manassas Junction, which we un 
 doubtedly would have had to do if the report had proved 
 true, for our regiment, if they are South Carolinians, could 
 not long continue against the whole Federal army. We 
 remained up all night with our equipments on and our 
 muskets at our sides ^ but the report proved false, if in 
 deed there was such a report at all. I think it Avas done 
 to try our pluck. I am confident there is none of the 
 enemy on this side of the river in this vicinity. There 
 were some ladies here the other day from Maryland, and 
 they say that if we never die till the Yankees kill us that 
 we will live till we turn to mules and jackasses. I hope 
 not, for some of us are too much like the latter aifimal 
 already. The ladies of Leesburg and vicinity corne here 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. . 15 
 
 every day by hundreds and bring us all kinds of good 
 things to eat, milk and honey, butter and eggs, and 
 almost any and everything you could mention. These 
 ladies are quite nice looking, and some of them are said 
 to be quite wealthy. Tf you could be here on those occa 
 sions you would think that there was not a married man 
 in the regiment but me. A great many of them are mar 
 ried men, but they are not obliged to say so. 
 
 We all went out yesterday to try our guns. We shot at 
 a barrel, two or three hundred yards off, placed on a fence. 
 Jim Loftin and myself, and one or two more, was all that 
 hit the barrel, of my company. If our men shoot at the 
 enemy like they did at that barrel, they will not kill very 
 many of the enemy unless they climb like squirrels or get 
 in the ground like moles; for those that did not hit the 
 tree top hit the ground about half way to the target. 
 I will finish when preaching is over. 
 
 EVENING, 2 O CLOCK. Just as I stopped writing this 
 morning it set in to raining, and is raining yet; so we 
 have no preaching. I went over to Leesburg the other 
 day, and amongst other things I got was a fine comb, but 
 of course I did not need it, for I don t believe that there is 
 
 one in my head. You may perhaps say there may be 
 
 some on it. You say that you don t feel like you would 
 ever see me again. My dear, banish all such thoughts. 
 Far from you I feel quite the reverse. Try and feel the 
 same way. All dangers are not deaths. Keep all the 
 letters that I send you, as I may want to refer to them at 
 some future time. 
 
 Direct to "Tudor Hall, Leesburg, Loudon County, Va." 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 LEESBURG, VA., July 2d, 1861. 
 
 I did not intend writing again quite so soon, but having 
 an opportunity of sending a letter by hand, I will there 
 fore scribble a few lines more, as I am well aware that I 
 write none too often. So far as you are concerned there 
 
16 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 has nothing important occurred since I wrote to you last, 
 June 30th. We have all sorts of rumors here, but none of 
 them have any foundation whatever, and therefore I will 
 not report them here. I have been reading and writing 
 letters for the boys nearly all day. I undoubtedly write 
 more letters than any other man in the regiment. 
 
 It is quite cool here to-day. I am wearing my coat all 
 day. This is quite a healthy place here. Our regiment is 
 enjoying very good health here at present. I doubt very 
 much if one could take the same number of persons any 
 where in the country arid find less sickness amongst them 
 than is to be found in our regiment. We are all anxiously 
 awaiting the Fourth of July; it is only two days off. 
 After it is over it will not be long till we know what to 
 depend upon. A great many men here seem to flatter 
 themselves that there will be but little fighting done. I 
 can t say how it may be, but I very much doubt that doc 
 trine. We will all soon know r more about it. Now, in 
 giving yon my ideas about things, don t take it for 
 granted that I am right. I may not be. I only give you 
 my private opinion about those things; but what I do 
 state to you for a fact you may at all times be assured 
 that such is a fact. At all events I shall state nothing 
 as a fact unless I have the best of reasons for believing 
 it. When I write you that such and such is a rumor, 
 you may put it down as a rumor; neither need you pufc 
 much confidence in rumor, for old Dame Rumor is a noto- 
 rions liar. She will actually tell a lie when the truth would 
 answer the best purpose. 
 
 I will write again soon. 
 
 Yours affectionately, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 LEESBURG, LOUDON Co., VA., July 5, 1861. 
 
 Nothing of importance has occurred since I wrote to 
 you last. 
 
 Night before last some of our men got with a negro 
 who lives near here, and told him they were Yankees, and 
 made arrangements with him to poison the whole regi- 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 17 
 
 merit. He agreed to put poison in pies, cakes and the 
 like, and distribute them amongst us all he could, and I 
 understand that he was preparing to do so when he was 
 arrested. He was tried this morning and found guilty of 
 intended murder. He has just now finished taking the 
 most powerful whipping that I ever saw any human being 
 take. He has just now gone home. Was our men justi 
 fiable in what they done? Every one can answer this 
 question in their own way. On yesterday, the Fourth, 
 the ladies and gentlemen of Leesburg and surrounding 
 country came here in great numbers. The ladies pre 
 sented us with a beautiful flag. A Virginia officer made 
 the presentation speech, in the name of the ladies. The 
 acceptation speech was made by Warren D. Wilkes, of 
 Anderson, in the name of the regiment. We all agreed 
 that it should never trail in the dirt. The Fourth is over. 
 We will soon know what to depend upon. May the God 
 of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the 
 God of all mankind, be with you and with us all. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 i 
 
 NOTE. In those letters from Leesburg I wrote a great many things 
 that I am now leaving out, as they would be of little interest to the 
 reader of the day. I will therefore hurry on to times and things more 
 exciting. Although an\- one still living who was in the old Fourth 
 Regiment at that time, will look back to these times that I am now 
 writing about with more pleasure than at any period of the war ; for at 
 Leesburg we not only lived like kings but had the company and the 
 sympathy of as fine a set of ladies as lived on God s green earth. If 
 these writings should ever find their way into the hands of any of the 
 old citizens about Leesburg, I presume they will recollect the Fourth 
 of July, 1861. Our flag never did trail in the dust 
 
 LEESBURG, YA., SUNDAY EVENING, ) 
 1 o clock, July 7th, 1861. } 
 
 As I don t expect to close this letter for several days, I 
 shall not say anything about the war to-day. We are 
 camped here within one mile of the town of Leesburg, and 
 in plain view of the Maryland mountains, distant about 
 
18 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 ten miles. We are camped in a- beautiful grove of oak, 
 hickory and other forest trees. The grove contains some 
 five or six acres. All around except on one side are old 
 fields, grown up with grass and clover, on which are graz 
 ing a great many fine cattle. It is stated here that this 
 beautiful grove was once a Methodist camp ground, and 
 a more beautiful place could not have been selected. It is 
 also said to have once been the camping ground of Gen 
 eral Braddock during the English and French Avar. I 
 have just returned from preaching. An old Virginia 
 preacher preached for. us. The opening hymn was, "Am I 
 a Soldier of the Cross," &c. His text was 12th chapter 
 Romans, llth verse: "Not slothful in business, fervent 
 in spirit, fearing the Lord." He preached an excellent 
 sermon. It made me think of home. I am truly glad that 
 we can still hear the Gospel preached here, if we are in the 
 army. God is everywhere. He is looking over us here, 
 just the same a& he would under our own vine and fig tree. 
 As much as I regret it, I will have to inform you that 
 it was a funeral occasion. Death has already entered our 
 ranks. There has been three of our regiment to die this 
 past week. A Mr. Pilgram, of Captain Long s company; 
 a Mr. Martin, of the same company, and a Mr. Anderson, 
 of Captain Griffin s company. They all three died this 
 past week. Our Adjutant, Samuel Wilkes, is sick, but 
 I don t think he is dangerously sick. 1 will now stop 
 writing for the present. 
 
 EVENING, 5 O CLOCK. I have just returned from preach 
 ing again. Our Chaplain, Mr. Guin, preached this evening 
 a very good sermon. Mr. Gnin is an old acquaintance of 
 mine. He lives at Greenville; his wife is Laura Guiu. I 
 found a beautiful pearl-handled knife the other day that I 
 intend giving to you some day if I don t find the owner of 
 it. I must now stop and write for others. 
 
 MONDAY EVENING, 5 O CLOCK, JULY STH. Nothing defi 
 nite from Washington yet. Report says that Lincoln in 
 his address to Congress advises the raising of a large 
 army. I expect this is true. I could not tell vou the 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 19 
 
 tenth part of the rumors that are now going: the rounds, 
 some of which, if we believed them, would make us think 
 that we would soon be at home again. Other reports, if 
 believed, would make us doubt if we ever got home or 
 not, Now, this is the same old dame that I told you was 
 such a liar. I will stop again for more rumors. 
 
 TUESDAY EVENING, 5 O CLOCK, JULY OTH. Nothing im 
 portant. I expect to write a letter to Colonel Parks in a 
 day or two. You will doubtless hear from me when he 
 gets it. 
 
 WEDNESDAY MORNING, 5 O CLOCK, JULY K)TH. Every 
 thing in an uproar. We are preparing to leave here. We 
 are going down the river; trouble is before us. No doubt 
 all dangers are not deaths. I must now close this long, 
 uninteresting letter, and prepare to go I know not 
 where. Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 FRYING PAN CHURCH, FAIRFAX Co., VA., 
 
 , July 12th, 1861. 
 I closed my last letter in a hurry, to prepare to move. 
 ,YVe left Leesburg the same day and came on to this place, 
 some twenty-five miles. We were nearly t^n days coming. 
 I don t know how long we \ull remain here, but I hope it 
 will not be long, for I do not like the place at all. Tell 
 Colonel Parks to read the letter to you that I sent him ; 
 telJ him that the Louisiana Battaiion that I wrote to him 
 about has left us and gone, it is said, to Faifax Court 
 House. It is also said that we will go there shortly; I 
 don t profess to know whether it is true or not. It is 
 also said that the Butler Guards, of Greenville, are there. 
 If so I would like to see them, as I am acquainted with 
 nearly every man in the company. One of the men of 
 Wheat s Battalion had his leg cut off before they left us. 
 He is now dying. Report (who is nearly as bij; a liar as 
 rumor) says that some of the enemy is now occupying our 
 
20 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 old position at Leesburg. I don t believe it; but if they 
 are there, I want to go and drive them back to Maryland, 
 or somewhere else. I shall say but little more at present, 
 as it has been but a day or two since I wrote to you. 
 Direct your next letter to Manassas Junction, Va. 
 
 Yours affectionately, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. Wheat s Battalion did not go to Fairfax Court House, but 
 halted about one mile from us. Neither did we go back to L/eesburg. 
 The man I spoke of as having his leg cut off died that evening. 
 
 FRYING PAN, VA., July 13th, 1861. 
 
 I now commence another letter to you, and may not 
 finish it for several days. 
 
 We were alarmed last night about dark by a report 
 that we were surrounded by about twenty thousand of 
 the enemy, and that our only chance of escape was to cut 
 our way through them, and make our way as best we 
 could to Manassas Junction, where General Beauregard is 
 with our main army. Our officers told us that if we failed 
 in this we would all be cut to pieces or captured. We 
 were ordered by General Evans to prepare for action. 
 Provided an attack should be made in ten minutes all 
 was ready. Each man drew forty-five rounds of cart 
 ridges, and had everything in wagons ready for an emer 
 gency. We thought that twenty thousand, and five 
 thousand of them cavalry, rather too much for eight or 
 nine hundred of us, although it was our determination to 
 fight our way through them. A large picket was sent out 
 to examine the situation. They returned this morning, 
 and report no enemy in this immediate vicinity; perhaps 
 none nearer than Alexandria. However, there is no doubt 
 in my mind but that we will have hard fighting to do 
 before long. Everything points in that direction. 
 
 Two more men of Wheat s Battalion got killed acci 
 dentally yesterday. W T heat s Battalion and our regi 
 ment and one hundred and eighty mounted men are all the 
 troops we have in this vicinity. I will now stop a while. 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 21 
 
 JULY 14TH. All is excitement arid confusion here at pres 
 ent. Yesterday, just after I stopped writing, we got the 
 news that two of our regiments had started to join us, 
 and that the enemy had got in between them and us, and 
 that they were retreating back towards Manassas Junc 
 tion ; so we were ordered to pack up and move imme 
 diately. In a few minutes we were en route for this place, 
 distant some two or three miles. We call this place Camp 
 Holcomb. I hope that we have not jumped out of the 
 frying pan into the fire. I like this place better, provided 
 an attack is made, than I did frying pan, as there is an 
 old railroad cut here, some twenty feet deep, which will be 
 greatly in our favor, if they come on us here. Ten o clock, 
 and our pickets still fail to find a foe near us. Some of 
 old Rumor s tales I reckon. We heard some cannonading 
 last night in the direction of Alexandria, where Mr. Rumor 
 says there are twenty thousand of the enemy and fifteen 
 thousand Confederate troops. I have heard several re 
 ports from there to-day, all without foundation. If the 
 fight comes on I will do the best 1 can. I am determined 
 not to run unless the boys all run with me. I will die in 
 the battle field first. I will stop a while again. 
 
 MONDAY EVP:NING, 4 O CLOCK, JULY 15TH. There was a 
 man here to-day from Alexandria. He says we are as safe 
 here as we would be in the middle of South Carolina. I 
 w r ould much rather risk it there than here, so far as I am 
 personally concerned. There are some men here who try 
 to make themselves and everything else look as big as 
 possible, and every rumor that they hear they \vrite it 
 home as facts, and that is calculated to keep the people 
 at home always excited and uneasy. Don t listen to every 
 thing you hear, but what I write to you shall be facts, as 
 near as possible. Another thing I warn you against, and 
 that is, what you see in the papers. A great many take 
 what they read in the papers as gospel truths. The papers 
 are like the men ; they publish every rumor as an estab 
 lished fact. Don t believe any thing you hear, and only 
 about half what you see. I will now stop again and wait 
 for more lies. 
 
22 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 TUESDAY EVENING, JULY 16. No positive news yet. I 
 understand, from a pretty reliable source, that there is a 
 great many of the enemy whose time will soon "expire 1 , 
 having only volunteered for six months. I believe this 
 report to be true, and if so an attack is almost sure to be 
 made before their time is out, as it will take some consid 
 erable time to get others in their place and have them 
 ready for service. I believe this to be precisely the state 
 of affairs now ; and if so, we will most assuredly have them 
 to fight soon. I am not uneasy, for I want it to come, 
 because I want it over with; so I presume that Ave will 
 have to whip 1hose that are here now, and then whip 
 their new army next Spring, or let them whip us, as the 
 case may be. I will now drop that subject and talk of 
 something else. We are still getting plenty to eat, and 
 that which is good enough for anybody. It is good 
 enough for me. Again I stop for news. 
 
 WEDNESDAY MORNING, JULY 17 r rn. All quiet along the 
 Potomac. No exciting rumors to-day. My eyes are quite 
 sore; otherwise I am well. I will now close this long letter 
 before writing again. I think we will find something to 
 do. Don t be uneasy. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. In closing these letters I always stated the health of onr 
 immediate neighbors naming each one of them which I omit now 
 as of no importance. I generally taper off with a little honey and sugar 
 talk to my wife, which I also omit here, as I don t believe it is any of 
 your business if I did call her Snug. As to my children, I have but 
 one and have but one yet a son, then going to school. His name is 
 Washington Irving. Hereafter when I speak of Irving, you will know 
 who I mean. In the latter part of the war, when I was an engineer 
 officer, of which I will hereafter speak, this same Irving came to me in 
 Virginia and remained till the end of the war, being present at the 
 surrender; took the measles that very day, and was kept in the hospital 
 at Farmerville until in May. Of this I will say more hereafter. 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 23 
 
 PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA;, July 23d, 1861. 
 
 " The sky was darkened ; we were hid from the sun ; 
 The earth it did tremble, but the victory s won." 
 
 I scarcely know bow to begin, so much has transpired 
 since I wrote to yuu last; but thank God I have come 
 through it all safe, and am now here to try and tell you 
 something about the things that have just happened. As 
 you have already been informed, we were expecting a big 
 fight. It came; it is over; the enemy is gone. We left 
 Camp Holcomb the day that I finished my last letter to 
 you, the 17th inst., and by a rather forced march got to 
 this place the same day. On the 18th a battle was fought 
 four miles from here, at a place called McLane sFord, which 
 would have been called a big battle in any of our previous 
 wars. Our men drove the enemy back. I can t give any 
 of the details, as our regiment was not in it, but bad as it 
 was, it was only a skirmish by the side of the one we have 
 just had at this place. On Saturday last, the 20th, it 
 became evident that the long-looked-for battle was ap 
 proaching. I need riot undertake to describe to you the 
 terrors of a big battle, so that you could comprehend how 
 awful the sight and how terrible the sound is or would be 
 to you. The very best of historians, or writers of any 
 kind, would fall short in doing so, and of course it could 
 not reasonably be expected of me to do so; but Twill now 
 proceed and give facts as they occurred under my own 
 observation. On Saturday night I happened to be on 
 guard. It also happened that I was on post (or vidette). 
 Just before day, on Sunday morning, at which time those 
 of us on post nearest the big road, heard the enemy ap 
 proaching. We gave the alarm, and in a few minutes the 
 regiment was formed in line of battle on the hill overlook 
 ing Stone Bridge on Bull Run Creek. This was just about 
 daylight. The enemy did not keep us long waiting. Just 
 at six o clock they fired their first gun (a cannon). It 
 went over us, and in a few moments afterwards a regular 
 firing was going on. Language fails me in giving a de 
 scription of last Sunday s work. It seems almost a 
 miracle that I could remain ten long hours in such a 
 
24 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 battle and now be here, unhurt, writing 1 to you ; but such 
 is nevertheless the case. An unseen hand has carried me 
 through safe. When the battle commenced the only troops 
 on the ground were Wheat s Battalion, of Louisiana, and 
 the Fourth Regiment of South Carolinians, commanded 
 by Colonel J. B. E. Sloan, of which regiment you are 
 aware that I am a member. These troops were placed as 
 follows : Six companies of our regiment were placed on 
 the hill as above stated ; Captain Dean s company, to 
 which I belong, and Captain Humphries company were 
 placed at the foot of the hill, some two hundred yards in 
 rear of the regiment, to act as a referee. Captain Ander 
 son s and Captain Kilpat rick s companies were placed 
 the one above and the other below the bridge, in advance 
 of the regiment, to act as skirmishers. Wheat s Battalion 
 was placed a half mile or so up the creek to our left. This 
 was precisely the position of what troops was here 
 when the battle commenced, as above stated. About 
 half-past seven a regular firing was going on, and our 
 cannons were only two in number, all we had at that time. 
 About this time it was ascertained that several thousand 
 of the enemy had crossed the creek higher up and had 
 attacked Wheat s Battalion in large numbers. At this 
 juncture the six companies under Colonel Sloan were or 
 dered by General Evans to go to Wheat s assistance. The 
 two companies of regulars (to which remember I belonged) 
 were ordered to occupy the position that had been occu 
 pied by the other six companies on the hill. Just after 
 this our reinforcements commenced coming in to Wheat s 
 assistance, but none to our assistance on the hill over 
 looking Stone Bridge. By this time the battle became 
 pretty hot, the enemy still advancing in large numbers. 
 Our reinforcements were also coming in rapidly by this 
 time. The firing had not ceased for a moment from the 
 time it first commenced; the balls and shells poured 
 amongst us like hail. About twelve o clock two small 
 cannons camp to our assistance (we on the hill). They 
 fired a few rounds only, the enemy advancing in such 
 overwhelming numbers that the ten cannons ceased firing, 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 25 
 
 and was compelled to fall back. The two companies above 
 mentioned also fell back a few hundred yards. We had 
 not left our position but a few minutes till the enemy was 
 occupying the position that we had just left. All this 
 time the battle was raging tremendously higher up the 
 creek. The enemy had crossed the creek by thousands, 
 but our men up there were standing their ground bravely. 
 I did not know how or at what time Kilpatrick s and An 
 derson s companies got away from the creek, but they did 
 get away some how, and fought till the battle ended in 
 another part of the field. A little after one o clock our 
 two companies got around to where the hotest of the fight 
 was going on. and there remained amid sulphur and 
 smoke, balls and shells, death and carnage, until the 
 battle ended, late in the evening, because we failed any 
 longer to find a foe to fight. They were gone. The vic 
 tory was complete. We are now occupying the same 
 ground that we did before the battle. As this letter can t 
 go before to-morrow I will finish in the morning. 
 
 STONE BRIDGE BATTLE FIELD, JULY 24TH. As before 
 stated, I cannot give you an idea of the terrors of this 
 battle. I believe that it was as hard a contested battle 
 as was ever fought on the American continent, or perhaps 
 anywhere else. For ten long hours it almost seemed that 
 heaven and earth was coming together; for ten long hours 
 it literally rained balls, shells and other missiles of destruc 
 tion. The firing did not cease for a moment. Try to 
 picture to yourself at least one hundred thousand men, 
 all loading and firing as fast as they could. It was truly 
 terrific. The cannons, although they make a great noise, 
 w T ere nothing more than pop guns compared with the tre 
 mendous thundering noise of the thousands of muskets. 
 The sight of the dead, the cries of the wounded, the thun 
 dering noise of the batttle, can never be put on paper. It 
 must be seen and heard to be comprehended. The dead, 
 the dying and the wounded ; friend and foe, all mixed up 
 together; friend and foe embraced in death; some crying 
 for water; some praying their last prayers; some trying to 
 
26 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 whisper to a friend their last farewell message to their 
 loved ones at home. It is heartrending. I cannot go any 
 further. Mine eyes are damp with tears. I will now close 
 this letter. Perhaps in my next I will say something more 
 of the Waterloo of America. I should have stated above 
 that Jefferson Davis, General Johnson and General Beau- 
 regard all came amongst us late in the evening. We gave 
 them a yell. 
 
 Although the fight is over the field is yet quite red with 
 blood from the wounded and the dead. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. Some years ago I read a history of the late war, written by 
 some Northern man I don t recollect the author s name and in giving 
 a description of this battle he says, that when the attack was made 
 that morning, there were fifteen regiments of Confederate troops on 
 the ground at the commencement. This statement I flatly deny. There 
 are hundreds of men still living that will corroborate what I have stated 
 that is, that Wheat s Battalion and the Fourth South Carolina Regi 
 ment was all that was there at the beginning, or about fifteen com 
 panies. It is true there were other troops not far off, but the battle had 
 been opened some time before they commenced coming in. As before 
 stated, there was but one regiment and one battalion on the ground, or 
 fifteen companies, instead of regiments, and the future historian will 
 put it so, if he puts it correctly. The same author, after going on in 
 this erroneous fashion for some time, at length caps the climax by 
 saying that late in the evening the Federal army gave way in good 
 order. If that was good order I would like for the same author to tell 
 me what it would take to constitute a rout ; for they ran as fast as fast 
 as their legs could carry them, without any regard to discipline, army 
 regulations, or anything else but self-preservation. They threw away 
 everything they had, and then carried themselves away at the rate of 
 ten knots an hour. Good order 1 Please let me hear from a regular 
 rout. 
 
 STONE BRIDGE BATTLEFIELD, | 
 
 PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA., July 28, 1861. j 
 A few lines in a hurry, as we are preparing to leave this 
 place for one where water will be more convenient. I will 
 give you a few more items about our big fight before I 
 leave the battle ground. It is said we fought about three 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 27 
 
 to one on the 21st. I am not in a position to know how 
 many was killed and wounded on either side, but there 
 was most assuredly a great many. I went over what I 
 could of the battlefield the evening- after the battle ended. 
 The sight was appalling in the extreme. There were men 
 shot in every part of the body, from the crown of the head 
 to the sole of the foot. Heads, legs, arms, and other parts 
 of human bodies were lying scattered all over the battle 
 field. The next day after the battle I went two or three 
 miles out along the road that the enemy had traveled in 
 their retreat. It seemed that what they did not leave on 
 the battlefield they had thrown away after they started. 
 The road was completely blockaded with wagons, cannon, 
 caisons and other vehicles, as far as I went, and muskets 
 were scattered about by thousands; knapsacks, haver 
 sacks and the like literally covered the ground. I think 
 we got all the cannon they had, which was something 
 over sixty in number, including the famous Sherman Bat 
 tery, and one very noted cannon called "Long Tom." I 
 think we got about all the small arms they had. We 
 also took a great many prisoners and sundries by the thou 
 sand. It is said that it was their regular army that we 
 fought. I don t think that we will have another big fight 
 soon, as it will be next Spring before they can raise an 
 other army and equip it ready for service. I talked with 
 Colonel E. P. Jones, of Greenville, the day after the fight, 
 and he and I both were of opinion that we ought to 
 have followed the enemy when they retreated (in good 
 order), but there are heads here that have more in them 
 than is in ours, and in all probability more on them. 
 There were a great many narrow escapes during the fight ; 
 a great many had holes shot in their clothing, and some 
 of them at several places. A young man of my company 
 named Mathew Parker had two balls to go through his hat. 
 It was an old fashioned bee giim hat, like the one that I 
 wore off. We both swapped off our bee gum hats that 
 evening. We had choice amongst thousands. We are 
 both now wearing nice low crowned hats, but we don t 
 
28 History oi the Fourth Regiment 
 
 know what they cost or who paid for them, neither do we 
 care. I will have to stop, as we are ready to move. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 CAMP PETTUS, FAIRFAX Co., YA., July 30th, 1861. 
 I have nothing interesting: to write at present. My main 
 object in writing now is that you may know that I am 
 still alive and enjoying good health; and I presume that 
 is what you are more interested in and would rather 
 hear than any news that could be written by me 
 or any other person; therefore I shall say but little 
 about the war at present, but will confine myself to 
 other nmtters. 1 have already written you two letters pre 
 vious to this one, since the battle, in which I gave you 
 about all the details of the fight that I thought would in 
 terest you. I did not give you a list of those killed in my 
 company, as you are acquainted with them. I will not at 
 present give their names. I sent the last letter that I 
 wrote to you by Willis Dickson, who is gone to Cul pepper 
 Court House to the hospital, sick; he may go home. In it 
 I gave you the particulars of our fight the best I could 
 under existing circumstances, and what I did state as 
 facts you may depend upon as facts. I still have a strong 
 presentiment that I will get home again, some time. It 
 may be a good while, and there is no telling at present 
 what I may have to go through before I come, if I do 
 come, only that I will have to encounter war and its con 
 sequences. Be that what it may, try and be as courage 
 ous as you can, and I will do the same. I will try to watch 
 passing events as closely as I can, and from my conclu 
 sions accordingly I will on all occasions give you my 
 opinion about things; but do not take my opinions as 
 Gospel facts, but just take them for what you think they 
 are worth. A few days after the fight I found out that 
 the Hampton Legion was at Manassas Junction. I un 
 derstood that they had been in the fight, but had went 
 back to the Junction ; so I concluded to go and find out 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 29 
 
 whether my brother Reuben was still with them or not. 
 I got leave from my betters and went on to hunt the 
 Legion. I found it at the Junction, but Reuben and his 
 Captain, Toliver Bozeman, both had got a discharge 
 whilst at Richmond and gone back home. Reuben s com 
 plaint was said to be heart disease. Heart disease is get 
 ting very comrnou here the kind that I call chicken heart 
 disease. That is not the kind, however, that Reuben has 
 got. He has had heart disease for many years, as you 
 are well aware. I found Jim Tarrant and Bill Thompson 
 and several more of our Wilson Bridge neighbors that 
 day. When I last wrote you we Avere still on the battle 
 field. Yesterday morning, the 29th, we left there and 
 came on to this place, six or seven miles nearer to Alexan 
 dria and Washington City. It is said that all the carpen 
 ters of this brigade, and perhaps others, are at work on 
 a bridge between here and Alexandria; and there it is 
 stated that we will cross and attack the enemy. I don t 
 believe a word of it. If we intended to cross over at all 
 we should have done so on the 21st. My opinion is that 
 it would be bad policy to cross now or any other time in 
 the future. We are just not going to do it. We are right 
 here amongst several South Carolina regiments now, and 
 I know that they will do to tie the grape vine of our canoe 
 to. There are troops here from all parts of the Confederacy, 
 from Dan even to Beersheba; so if we should havea.nother 
 fight soon it will be some pumpkins; but I don t think we 
 will, for the one we have just had ought to satisfy all 
 parties concerned ; and 1 don t know but what it would 
 be better to give them another little brush before they re 
 cruit up again. I am on guard again, now writing on a 
 drum head, the best place that I have had for a long 
 time. I now have to go on post again. I am now off of 
 post. Whilst on post I saw any amount of our old tea 
 plant called ditna that you and I used to gather on the 
 old Saluda hills when you and I were young, Polly. 
 "Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought 
 to mind." Direct to Manassas Junction, Va. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
30 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 NOTE. With the above letter I sent the following lines, thinking it 
 might amuse my wife or any one who might see it ; and as I have it 
 now before me I will draw it off just as the original. Perhaps it may 
 amuse the reader of to-day. 
 
 Whilst I was sitting around about the guard house and 
 off of post, there were several little squads hunkered about 
 on rocks and stumps, some talking about one thing and 
 some about another. I could only hear a few words at a 
 time, first from one squad, then another. It was^ right 
 amusing to me, and may be to you. It ran as follows: 
 
 Squad No. 1. "Yes, it was Old Abe that recommended 
 it. If he could have had his way he would have" 
 
 Squad No. 2." His face greasy from ear to ear. He 
 can eat more in one day than I could in" 
 
 "Several years yet, but Idon t think it will last longer 
 
 "Then my whiskers. I have not shaved since I left" 
 
 "Noah s ark. Two and two of every kind of animals. 
 Two lions, two elephants, two tigers, and two" 
 
 "Dumplings! If I could just get them all the time I 
 would soon fatten up and look as well as a" 
 
 "Possom and taters is just as good as anything that I 
 
 ever . Stuck my head in up to my eyes and got nearly 
 
 drowned. I tried to call for " 
 
 "A chew of tobacco, if you please. I have not had any 
 since I left Stone Bridge. When I get some I will give 
 
 "The d est whipping that a set of fellows ever got if 
 they just fall into the hands of" 
 
 "My wife and children I left with tears in their eyes, 
 and told them not to look " 
 
 "At that little upstart. Just gin a fool a little office 
 and it soon makes" 
 
 "Chickens and dumplings if I have to pay" 
 
 "Five hundred thousand dollars and four hundred thou 
 sand more to try to exterminate" 
 
South Carolina, Volunteers. 31 
 
 " Every louse on my head, since I got that fine comb. 
 I did have a good many till " 
 
 "Dr. Cooley gave me some blue mass and some other 
 stuff that made me throw up" 
 
 "My commission and go home, where I can get" . 
 
 "The worst kind of a bile right on my hip, but when I 
 had it lanced it run " 
 
 "For captain, but he got so badly beat that I don t 
 think he will ever" 
 
 "Double quick much for half a mile, and then halted 
 right in front of" 
 
 " Bill Smith s leg. They cut it off just above " 
 
 " The top of the Blue Ridge. We had gone several miles, 
 when we came to a place" 
 
 " That stinks worse than a dead horse. I would almost 
 perish before I would eat" 
 
 " My new hat and shoes that I got at Richmond as we 
 camj along; they just cost me" 
 
 "My life is in his hands, if they do bring four hundred 
 thousand " 
 
 "Green flies over everything. They will just blew" 
 
 " The bugle for drill directly, and then I hope that fellow 
 yonder will quit sawing away on that" 
 
 "Old woman and children; I do want to see them so 
 bad I would gave any man " 
 
 "The measles, the worst kind. There is several in my 
 mess broke" 
 
 " All to pieces, and its full of whiskey, so I lost bottle 
 and all. It fell right on " 
 
 "Sam Brown s nose. It was shot off right where it 
 joins" 
 
 " Nova Scotia. It now belongs to England. It was dis 
 covered by " 
 
 " Long-heeled Jake, as we called him ; his leg was nearly 
 in the middle of" 
 
 " Hell or some other seaport town, and all the rest with 
 him, and then I would be perfectly" 
 
 "Blind. If it was not for that he would be the best 
 horse in" 
 
32 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 "This canteen and tin cup just holds" 
 
 "The general impression here is that we have" 
 
 " A baked goose for dinner, but it was not half done, 
 and I believe it was" 
 
 "Sixty-five years old when he came into the service, but 
 he seems to stand it well, considering that he has" 
 
 "A sucking babe not more than fifteen months old, and 
 will soon be looking for another; if that is so" 
 
 "I shall have to gun my blankets to-morrow, for we 
 don t know at what moment we may have to go " 
 
 "To the devil with your crackers. I had rather eat" 
 
 "President Davis and General Beauregard both say 
 that"- 
 " We must cook that mutton for dinner or it will spoil " 
 
 " Our uniforms every evening at dress parade. At any 
 other time we can wear" 
 
 "My patience out talking so much. I had as leave 
 hear" 
 
 "That big snoring of nights. It would keep any man 
 from" 
 
 "Running and jumping into the river head foremost, 
 and staying under the water till he was nearly out of" 
 
 "Something to eat. I have not had a bite since" 
 
 "I was born, on the 4th of July, 1829. That makes 
 
 me just" 
 
 "Six o clock, and I must go on post again." 
 
 The drum beats arid end s the conversation. 
 
 CAMP PETTUS, VA., MONDAY MORNING, 4 O CLOCK, AUGUST 
 5rn, 1861. I had so many letters to write for other people 
 yesterday that I did not get to write any for myself, but 
 I don t know that it would make any material difference, 
 as 1 have nothing worthy of your attention to write 
 about at present. I will have to go on guard again this 
 morning at eight o clock, and remain till eight to-morrow 
 morning. I have not had a letter from you in two weeks. 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 33 
 
 I believe there is something wrong with the mail (not the 
 female). I will try and send this letter on to Columbia or 
 some other point on the railroad by hand. The war news 
 is dull indeed. We hear nothing at all of another fight 
 soon. Some seem to think that the enemy is pretty well 
 satisfied, and others think (and me for one) that they are 
 making all the preparations in their power to carry on 
 the war. I still feel gallant and want you to try and feel 
 buoyant. I want to do what fighting I have to do and 
 get back to Dixie. Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 CAMP PETTUS, FAIRFAX Co., VA., August 8th, 1861. 
 I have received yours of the 31st of July, in which you 
 inform me that you have attached yourself to the Church. 
 The news is very gratifying to me indeed, and I hope you 
 may live to see me a member also. I think I have known 
 men as bad as I am to reform and join the Church. In 
 fact the wicked ones are the only ones that are called on 
 to reform. It is the sick that needs a physician. It is 
 said in God s word that everything worketh together for 
 good to them that believe. I think that I do believe, 
 although I don t conform to what 1 profess to believe. I 
 fear there are but few that do. Tell Irving that I have not 
 forgotten him ; tell him to be a good boy and be governed 
 by the advice that I gave him just before my departure. 
 I have nothing at all important to write. I only write at 
 this time merely that you may hear from me. We are 
 still at Camp Pettus, between Manassas Junction and 
 Alexandria. We will probably remain here, for some time. 
 We cannot tell. Yours affectionately, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. My wife did live to see me a member of the Church, and 
 there is nothing under Heaven that gives me as much satisfaction as 
 that. She did live to see me a member ; she had prayed for it so long ; 
 she lived to see her prayer answered. 
 
34 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 CAMP PETTUS, FAIRFAX Co., VA., August llth, 1861. 
 I have just received a letter from Mr. Dickinson, in which 
 he states that you were all well. It was made last Sun 
 day, the 4th inst. I have nothing definite to write about 
 the war. We got orders yesterday to be ready at a mo 
 ment s warning to march. Our commissary is ordered to 
 keep on hand, at all times, three days rations, to carry 
 with us, if we should have to march. It is said here to 
 day that we will march to-morrow, but that, I think, is 
 uncertain ; but I think it is certain that we will inarch 
 soon, and where we will go to I cannot at present say, 
 perhaps Washington City. It seems that some of the 
 great European powers are beginning to look upon this 
 war as being of some importance. This will be plain to 
 you when I inform you that Prince Jerome Bonaparte has 
 visited our country, and on last Friday reviewed our 
 army. We were marched to Centreville, which is about 
 one and a half miles from here, on Friday, the 9th inst., 
 and was reviewed by him. But, by the way, I thought it 
 the warmest day that I ever had seen ; it was perfectly 
 suffocating. A great many men gave out and stopped 
 before we got there, and a great many broke ranks after 
 we got there. There were two men I know of who fainted. 
 I came very near giving out myself. What made things 
 worse, we had our thick woolen uniforms on, and our coats 
 buttoned up. It was almost suffocating. It is said here 
 that Bonaparte also reviewed the Federal army. His 
 presence here is a matter of speculation to both parties. 
 I have do more war news. Dame Rumor is still tattling. 
 I arn sorry to say our ranks are being thinned by sick 
 ness and death. Before this reaches you you will no doubt 
 hear of the death of Claudius Earle, who died at Rich 
 mond a few days ago. I fought within a few yards of 
 him on the 21st of July. Our friend (Irving s teacher) 
 Jesse Smith, is at the point of death. There are a good 
 many others of my acquaintance sick at hospitals, and I 
 have but little chance of hearing from them. My Captain 
 (Dean) is sick, and gone to Culpepper Court House. Col 
 onel Sloan has also gone off sick, and a great many others. 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 85 
 
 I am sorry to have to say that a good many are dying at 
 the different hospitals. 1 hope the sickness will abate when 
 the weather gets cooler, if not before. 
 
 As it happens I am again on guard to-day, writing on a 
 Yankee drum head, one that we took at Stone Bridge. I 
 this morning put on my new blue flannel shirt that I took 
 from Uncle Sam on the day after the battle. It is a perfect 
 fit ; made on purpose for me. The reason that I put it on 
 is this : My other shirts are wet ; I had them washed yes 
 terday. 
 
 I will write again as soon as I can ; but if we do have to 
 move it may be some time. I forgot to state that our 
 present Brigadier General is named Jones. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA., \ 
 Wednesday Morning, 10 O clock, Aug. 14, 1861. [ 
 In my last letter to you, the llth inst., I told you that 
 there was a talk of our moving soon. Sure enough, on 
 Monday, the 12th, we left Camp Pettus and came on to 
 this place, German town, the same day, a distance of six 
 or seven miles. We are now some nearer Alexandria and 
 Washington than we were before. I think I told you in a 
 former letter that we were but eight or ten miles from 
 Alexandria. I was wrongly informed. It is said to be 
 twelve or fifteen from here, and we are several miles nearer 
 there now than we were then. We are one and a half miles 
 from Fairfax Court House, where it is said that General 
 Washington s will is recorded a,nd where he attended 
 church. It is eighteen miles to Mount Vernon, where he 
 lived and where he is buried. This little town here, Ger- 
 mantown, is in ashes, the enemy having burnt it on their 
 inarch to Richmond ; but they did not get very far south 
 till the weather got too hot for them and they had to 
 come back. The climate at Stone Bridge was entirely too 
 near the Torrid Zone for them. We do not anticipate an 
 other big fight soon, as the enemy is not yet ready to 
 again advance on us, and I hardly think it probable that 
 
36 History ot the Fourth Regiment 
 
 
 
 we will advance on them. I think it too late now for that. 
 We should have done that in July, if at all. Some think 
 that we will storm Arlington Heights pretty soon. I don t 
 pretend to know, but I don t believe we will. This is only 
 my opinion. But there is one thing I do know, or think I 
 know, and that is. if we do take Arlington Heights it will 
 cost us something. But as to Alexandria and Washing 
 ton, I think we could take them easy enough if it was riot 
 for their everlasting engines of destruction that are on 
 Arlington Heights. I really have nothing to write about. 
 I only write that you may hear from me, which I know 
 you are anxious for at any time; but if any little thing 
 does happen soon you shall hear from it, if I am able to 
 write. 
 
 Since writing the above I have heard some twenty or 
 thirty cannon reports down towards Alexandria. I will 
 not close this letter till I find out what it means. I don t 
 think it is a regular fight. If it was we would be double- 
 quicking down there. There is eight South Carolina regi 
 ments all here together, and if we have to go down there, 
 
 we will give them what paddy give the drum. Willis 
 
 Dickinson has been at Culpepper hospital for some time. I 
 can t hear from Jesse Smith. Sam Couch has the mumps. 
 
 EVENING, 5 O CLOCK I have not as yet heard from that 
 cannonading. It is still going on at intervals. Perhaps 
 they are only trying their guns or trying to scare us, 
 which they have everlastingly failed to do. 
 I will write more when I know more. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, GEBMANTOWN, ) 
 FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA., August 15th, 1861. f 
 Nothing new since I wrote last. The cannonading that 
 I spoke of turned out to be nothing. I have just heard of 
 a battle fought above here the other day, at a place called 
 Pan Handle. I hear so many different reports about it 
 that I shall not attempt to say much about it at present- 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 37 
 
 I do not know how many were engaged in it, or how 
 many killed and wounded, but report says a great 
 many. I think though, from what I can find out, that 
 our side got the best of it, as usual. I understand that 
 our troops were commanded by General Wise, of Virginia 
 (Governor Wise). I also understand that a battle has 
 been fought somewhere out towards Missouri, the partic 
 ulars of which I ha.ve no positive information ; but report 
 says our side got the best of it ; I can t say. They would 
 tell us so here whether it was so or not. I hope, however, 
 that it is so. It don t seem to me that the war ought to 
 last long now, as both armies are pretty large now and 
 pretty close together, and why not fight it out and be 
 done with it. That would be the tactics of High Private 
 J. VV. Reid. Each army seems to be waiting for the other 
 to make the attack. The big officers on both sides are 
 getting big pay, and I don t suppose that some of them 
 are in a big hurry to go home. I mean no insinuation, 
 but if the shoe fits wear it. 
 
 I will pay the last cent I have in the world for postage 
 on this letter; but when I write again Providence will 
 provide for me. He always will. 
 
 Our friend, Jesse Smith, is dead. I heard it last night. 
 He has been dead several days. Colonel Sloan, Lieutenant 
 Colonel Cha.rles Mattison and Major Whitner are all sick. 
 My own Captain, Thomas Dean, and Lieutenant B. A. M. 
 McAllister are both sick at the hospital, and a great many 
 more officers and privates are sick at the different hospi 
 tals; and I will here remark that most of the cases of 
 sickness are not considered very dangerous. I think that 
 the cases of bad sickness are few, considering our number. 
 Take the same number anywhere else and you will doubt 
 less find as much sickness. I am still in good health, and, 
 as you well know, have the constitution of a nail machine. 
 I hope I will still have good health, but still I may get 
 sick as well as others; and if so, I will try to get leave of 
 Dr. Cooley to remain in camp. I think I would fare better. 
 
 You say that you have religion. Don t let it make you 
 melancholy. True religion, the kind that I hope you have, 
 
38 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 will not do that. It will be more inclined to make you 
 cheerful. Pray in faith, and your prayers will most assur 
 edly be answered. He says they will, and He cannot lie. 
 If your prayers are riot answered immediately, don t think 
 that they will never be. God has His own time to do all 
 things, and at the proper time He will do it ; for He can 
 not lie, and He says He will answer any prayer prayed 
 
 in faith. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID 
 
 ARMY OF OCCUPATION OR INVASION, GERMANTOWN, ~\ 
 
 FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA., 
 
 Sunday Morning, 10 O clock, Aug. 18, 1861. ) 
 Last night, after I laid down, Mr. Phillips called me up 
 to read a letter for him that he had got from home. On 
 opening it I found a few lines in it that you sent to me. 
 It is unnecessary for me to say how magnificent it made 
 rne feel. You say that yon were to trade with old Tom 
 Appier for a cow. My advice is to do so if you can, for the 
 cow would certainly be of more service to you than the 
 horse. You also say that you have a good many water 
 melons, but that they do you no good because I am not 
 there to help eat them. Don t let that make any differ 
 ence, for I have something here that 1 would like to divide 
 with you; but as we can t divide what we have, we will 
 strike off even, and each one partake of what we have, and 
 eat it with as much relish as we can. I have a good mess 
 of beans to-day, and can get more any time I want them 
 by paying for them. I also have apple pie very often. 
 Peaches are not ripe here yet. I also get plenty of roast 
 ing ears. I have eaten beef till, if you were to see me, you 
 would take me for a Virginia bull. In this letter I send 
 you two kind of tomato seed ; one kind is as large as my 
 fist; the other kind is small, and has a neck like daddie s 
 powder gourd. I suppose that you think I write mighty 
 often ; so I do ; but I also suppose that I don t write any 
 oftener than you want to hear from me, and especially at 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 
 
 a time when there is so much sickness amongst us. The 
 most fatal complaint among us now is measles, and 
 as you already know I have had them. I have had 
 the measles, the mumps, the whooping cough, the itch, the 
 scald head, the hives, the thrash, and all those little fancy 
 complaints; so I don t know that I need fear from any 
 thing now but thunder, Yankee missiles and typhoid fever 
 and hypocondria. My mess are all sick, more or less; 
 the most of them less. Jim Loftin and myself are the only 
 ones of my mess that are complaining of being well. I 
 have no war news. Everything is as dry as a bone, and it 
 is painfully hot. I have no doubt but you read a great 
 many exciting things in the paper ; but let me assure you 
 that all that is in the papers are not Gospel truths. I told 
 you in my last letter that I was out of money, but that 
 the Lord would provide, and so He did. He and Jeff Davis 
 and company on yesterday drew five dollars in Virginia 
 shinplasters that are not worth a fig outside of Virginia, 
 but they will pay postage anyhow. I will write again 
 soon. Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. KEID. 
 
 NOTE. The tomato seed I mentioned got home safe, and some of 
 their descendants are in the neighborhood yet, 1890. The letters that 
 I am now drawing off ar not so important as afterwards when the times 
 became more exciting, but as I have them before me I will draw them 
 off, so as to give a full account of our travels. 
 
 I wrote another letter from Germ an town, August 21st, 
 but in it I wrote nothing of importance. I only give the 
 names of those that were sick, and some other little mat 
 ters not worth repeating. I wrote again on the 27th of 
 August as follows : 
 
 On Friday evening last we received information that a 
 fight was going on at Fall s Church, a few miles below 
 here; so we bundled up, leaving our tents under a guard, 
 and ponied off for the scene of action, or rather the scene 
 of inaction, for we only got about three miles, when we 
 got orders to turn back. We instantly obeyed the order, 
 
40 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 with a little more promptness than we had done when we 
 started from camp. It was all a humbug. I think it was 
 done to see how many of us there were that were able to 
 travel. There were a great many that were not able, and 
 then there were several taken very suddenly ill. About 
 the time we got the orders to march, I tell you confidently 
 that an order to march right to where a battle is going 
 on is one of the most sickening things on earth. I have 
 seen men, apparently in good health, get sick enough to 
 throw up in a few minutes after an order to march. In 
 fact I have known some officers that did throw up their 
 commissions and go home, it made them so sick. Such 
 news has never made me so very sick yet, but sometimes 
 it makes me feel a little weak and puny-like. 
 
 On Sunday night we were again started, we knew not 
 where, but we only got to Fairfax Court House, about 
 one mile and a half from here, and again we were ordered 
 back. We promptly obeyed again. More sickness on the 
 occasion. On yesterday morning we were ordered to strike 
 tents and be ready to move at a moment s warning (quite 
 sickly), but in the evening we were ordered to put up our 
 tents again. (Sickness abating considerably). I can t 
 say how long we will remain here, but if we start again I 
 want to keep on. I am tired trotting backwards and for 
 wards. I don t think that we will attack the enemy where 
 they are now ; neither do we believe that they will venture 
 to travel the same road that they did in July. It was too 
 hot for them at that time, and I think it would be so 
 again. I am sorry to say that our regiment is in a rather 
 bad condition for fighting or marching at present. Of my 
 mess of nine men all are sick but Jim Loftin and myself. 
 Last Saturday I went four miles to our hospital to see the 
 sick. 1 found one hundred and sixty of our regiment there. 
 There are a great many of our regiment at other hospitals. 
 Ten men were dying when I got there, one belonging to my 
 own company, named AVilliam Bagwell, and another be 
 longing to Griffin s company, named Hunt. They both 
 died that day, TW T O of my company died at Culpepper 
 last week, Thomas Bagwell and Marion Murray, all from 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 41 
 
 the effects of measles. Every case of pneumonia or fever 
 that I have heard of originated from measles. Every one 
 that has took pneumonia or fever took it after going to 
 the hospital. Judd Me Lees took the measles here, and I got 
 Dr. Cooley to let him remain in camp with me. I have 
 now got him up and about again. If I get sick I will 
 remain in camp if possible. 
 
 There are not as many deaths at Culpepper now as there 
 were a week or two ago. It is getting some colder now, 
 and I hope times will soon be better. It is a very dark 
 time now. 
 
 EIVE O CLOCK, EVENING. Great preparations are going 
 on for some purpose I know not what, but I positively do 
 hope that is for another fight, for I am anxious to do what 
 fighting I have got to do and be done with it. To tell the 
 truth I am getting tired of this way of living. I will now 
 close for the present. 
 
 Yours affectionately, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, GERANTOWN, ) 
 FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA., September 1, 1861. J 
 I have no news. Everything is quiet for the present. 
 The two armies are close together, arid could go to fight 
 ing at any time; but it seems that each party dreads to 
 attack the other party, and well they may ; for let the at 
 tack be made by whom it may, somebody will get hurt, 
 for I have found out long ago that the other party is 
 about as good fighting stock as we are. We are all chips 
 of the old block. We never know when we will fight till 
 we go at it. Colonel Sloan and three or four others have 
 got back to camp, but Lieutenant Colonel Mattison has 
 been sent off sick ; so that I can t see that there is much 
 improvement in the health of our regiment as yet. James 
 and Willis DickiNson are both sick. Phillips, the two Earles, 
 Stacks, Herron, Couch, Loftin and Jefferson, all of my 
 company but the two Earles, are well. Tell Mr. Dickinson 
 
42 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 to address his letters to me for the present, and I will send 
 them to the boys. I will keep myself informed of how the 
 boys are coming on, and let him know in my letters to 
 you about them. 
 
 We have had two more deaths at our country hospital 
 this week. They were men you are not acquainted with. 
 The good "Lord has carried me safe thus far, for some pur 
 pose unknown to me at present; and I hope He will carry 
 me safely through all the changes that daily surround me. 
 Bad as 1 am, and bad as I may appear to others, still I 
 have implicit confidence in Providence. There is unfortu 
 nately a great many here who cannot write, and they keep 
 me almost all my time, when off of duty, writing letters 
 for them. I cannot deny them. Only a day or two ago I 
 had written letters till I was tired out, when Lige Herring 
 came to me, with paper and ink in hand, requesting me to 
 write a letter for him. I refused. He walked off a few 
 steps and looked up and down the street, undecided what 
 to do. He looked to me like his heart would break. I 
 called him back and wrote his letter, reflecting how it 
 would be if I could not write to you. "As ye would have 
 others do unto you, do ye so even unto them," came into 
 rny mind at the time, and 1 am not ashamed to say that 
 I acted accordingly. 
 
 I would be glad if you would send me by mail my gloves 
 and a good big needle, as I have to do my own patching 
 and ironing. The ironing, however, goes minus. 
 
 The bell is now ringing for preaching. I will go and 
 hear the sermon and then write. 
 
 FOUR O CLOCK P. M. I went and heard our Chaplain 
 preach, Rev. Mr. Guinn, of Greenville. He preached a 
 very touching sermon ; it brought tears to my eyes, if I 
 am a soldier. It makes me feel quite serious to hear so 
 many voices singing and not a female voice among them. 
 Will I ever hear that sweet music again ? I hope so. 
 
 I have just been handed a letter from the hospital. Our 
 sick ones are no better. I got a letter yesterday from our 
 esteemed brother-in-law, John A. Cargill. Your mother 
 and family are all well. John speaks of coming out here 
 to me soon. I will now stop a while. 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 43 
 
 MONDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 2D. Nothing new. Cold 
 enough for frost. Please don t forget gloves and needle. 
 
 Yours affectionately, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. The reader must understand that I do not commence and 
 
 end those letters as I did at the time, as I sometimes used some very 
 sympathetic language to my wife in beginning and closing my letters, 
 and I will not repeat it here in drawing them off, as I don t wish to set 
 you all crying. Everything else is just precisely as I wrote it at the 
 time, un grammatical as it was and is yet. 
 
 ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, GERMANTOWN, VA.,| 
 September 4th, 1861. J 
 
 A HISTORY OF POCKET KNIVES. 
 
 I have two pocket knives one a white pearl handle, the 
 other a black handle. I aim the white handle for you, the 
 other for Irving. The white-handled one I found while at 
 Leesburg, and could find no owner; the black-handled one 
 I got as follows: I was walking over what I could of the 
 battlefield, late in the evening, after the battle, and came 
 across a Federal soldier shot through the bowels. The 
 knife was laying close to him. I picked it up and offered 
 it to him. His reply was, fc Keep it, friend ; I shall need it 
 no more; I am mortally wounded arid cannot live to see 
 another sunrise." I gave him a drink of water from my 
 canteen, which T had just filled, and told him that I had 
 some of my friends to see after that evening. He then 
 gave me a package of letters, requesting me to destroy 
 them. I promised to do so and did so. He said that I 
 had given him his last drink of water. Next morning 1 
 found him dead, with another letter lying on his breast. 
 I opened and read it, and from the tone of it supposed it 
 to be from his wife; it was at least some female, who ad 
 vised him to meet her in Heaven, if they never met ou 
 earth again. They never met. I hope they may meet in 
 Heaven. He told me that he was a regular from the State 
 of Maine, but I cannot recollect his name. Could it be pos 
 sible that my bullet hit him. I hope not, but I fought 
 
44 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 right in front of where he was. I left him for other scenes 
 equally distressing-, and destroyed his last and, I suppose, 
 most cherished letter. This is some of the history of our 
 cruel war. When will it ever end? Our advanced pickets 
 are within five miles of Washington City, and are skir 
 mishing every day with the pickets of the enemy. There 
 is no telling what it may lead to. I at this moment hear 
 cannor: firing in that direction. O, dear me, I have a kind 
 of dull headache. If I have to close this letter abruptly 
 vou rnav know where I am. 
 
 EVENING, 5 O CLOCK. I have news from that firing. It 
 was some of our men trying to drive a portion of the 
 enemy from a position that they were occupying between 
 here and Washington. They succeeded in doing so. I 
 have not heard what the loss was on either side. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. The knives that I spoke of I did send home. My wife kept 
 hers for a great many years. My boy dropped his in the ocean, near 
 Charleston, in 1863, and that was the end of the knife that I got from a 
 dying Federal soldier. 
 
 ARMY OF OCCUPATION OR INVASION, } 
 
 GERMANTOWN, FAIRFAX Co., VA., Sept. 11, 1861. j 
 I have just received a letter from W. P. Brown, in which 
 he informs me that you are well and doing well. I also 
 got a letter from Silas Crow. He informs me that he saw 
 you on the 31st of August. He also says that you are 
 well. Everything about us is as it was when I wrote last, 
 all quiet; but it cannot remain so always, and the sooner 
 it changes the better; for if I remain in this place inactive 
 much longer, I will turn to a high land terrapin or an 
 oyster. My idea is that the sooner we fight the better. 
 There is bigger and perhaps lousier heads here than mine, 
 but still I have head enough to form my own conclusions 
 and my own ideas about things. I am glad cool weather 
 is coming. The first thing we all know Christmas will be 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 45 
 
 here, and then it will not be very long till the glorious 
 14th of April will be here. 
 
 As to my own part I am ready, willing and wanting to 
 take another crack or two at the Yankee Doodles and let 
 them take a crack at rne. 
 
 Just as I wrote the above we were called out to drill, 
 and here is a list of those of my company present: Peter 
 Brown, John Manning and J. W. Reid. Sergeant G. W. 
 Belcher was our officer in command. Such as this is a 
 little disheartening, even to a soldier, but I am well aware 
 that the greater portion of the men are not dangerously 
 sick. Quite the reverse. But those on guard yesterday 
 and the guard of to-day were excusable, according to army 
 regulations, from drilling; so that there were about ten 
 in all that were able and willing to drill or do duty of any 
 kind. I will be on guard to-morrow. 
 
 If you don t mind I will be as good a cook when I come 
 home as you are. I am chief cook and bottle washer here 
 now. I now have some pig, or mule I don t know which 
 on cooking for dinner. I am going to stew it down, so 
 that lean have some sop vulgarly called gr^vy. I 
 always want to use the best language that I can, and 
 therefore I call it by its true grammatical name, sop. 
 
 THURSDAY MORNING, 8 O CLOCK, SEPTEMBER 12TH. Last 
 night we got orders to cook up two days rations and be 
 ready to move at a moment s warning. We cooked till 10 
 o clock last night, but are not gone yet, and may not go 
 at all. If we do go I don t know which way we will go ; 
 neither do I care much. I send these lines in a letter, 
 backed to W. P. Brown. He will hand it to you. I will 
 write again as soon as I can find something to write 
 about. Yours forever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, GERMANTOWN, VA.,| 
 September 16th, 1861. J 
 
 We did riot go as anticipated, but are still here. Our 
 advanced pickets and the advanced pickets of the enemy 
 
46 History ofth? Fourth Regiment 
 
 are in sight of each other and firing on each other almost 
 continually, but no great damage has been done as yet, 
 unless it has been done this morning. 
 
 LATER. We have this moment received orders again to 
 cook up three days rations, and be ready to march, but 
 I have been fooled so often that I shall not believe we are 
 going till we get half way to Washington or Alexandria. 
 It is the general opinion whether it is the opinion of the 
 General or not that another big battle will come off 
 soon. Well, let it come. Of one thing I am pretty cer 
 tain, and that is, that if it don t come pretty soon it will 
 not come at all before next Spring. I do wish it would 
 come, for I am perfectly sick and tired of hearing it talked 
 of so much and nothing done. The weather will be too 
 cold here this Winter for active operations. Of this I am 
 certain. There is no telling what may occur before this 
 reaches you. As before stated, we have an advanced 
 guard all the time. Several regiments go off at a time 
 and remain several days, and then are relieved by other 
 regiments. Perhaps it is our time to go now. I will now 
 stop and try to find out what is up. 
 
 EVENING, 4 O CLOCK. We have finished cooking rations 
 and are waiting for further orders. I can hear nothing 
 definite from that heavy firing this morning. It must 
 have been of some importance, as the firing continued for 
 several hours. I think we are all right now, though at a 
 critical point in our history. The time is near at hand 
 when we must stand or fall as a nation. Right here now 
 are two of the largest and best disciplined armies that have 
 ever been raised in modern times, and composed of men 
 on both sides that will fight to the death. General Beau- 
 regard has moved his headquarters (and hind quarters 
 too) to Fairfax Court House, one mile and a half below 
 here. We have a pretty large army in this vicinity at 
 this time, from all parts of Dixie, Kentucky and Mary 
 land not excepted. Had a dream last night that I started 
 for home, and when near there came across Irving and 
 c he dog, about to catch a possum. It was just night, and 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 47 
 
 Irving 1 kissed me a thousand times. Pie had grown so 
 much that 1 scarcely knew him. When I got to the house 
 all my sisters were there, and they all kissed me, but I 
 thought you would hardly speak to me. It came so near 
 breaking my heart that I awoke, and here I was lying on 
 the ground, on the Potomac River, nearly a thousand 
 miles from home. What a lie to dream ! I know that you 
 would be the first among ten thousand to welcome me 
 home. Will stop till I hear more news. 
 
 SEPTEMBER I?TH. That firing yesterday was some of 
 our men firing on some vessels in the Potomac River. 
 Not much damage was done. It is ascertained that we 
 will go on picket somewhere between here and Washing 
 ton. I may not write any more till we get back, but will 
 if I can. Will inform you of passing events w r henever I 
 can. Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE Although what I am writing at this time may not interest the 
 reader, still it is a time that will always be remembered by those who 
 were present as one of the darkest times to us that we had during 
 the war ; more than a thousand miles from home, over half our men 
 sick, and looking for an attack every day. Dark ! Dark ! Dark ! 
 
 FALL S CHURCH, VA., September 20th, 1861. 
 In my last I informed you that we were expecting to 
 leave camp soon. Accordingly, on Tuesday, at 3 o clock 
 in the evening, we started for this place. We had but just 
 started, when it commenced a very hard rain, and rained 
 on for two or three hours. We made no stop till we got 
 here, which was about 9 o clock at night. We lay on the 
 wet ground, in our night clothes, all night. I slept but 
 very little. On Wednesday morning I wrote a letter to 
 Mr. Dickinson about his boys, and requested him to read 
 it to you. Presume he did so. On the same day (Wed 
 nesday) we took possession of a church, which we still 
 occupy, and suppose will remain in till we go back to 
 camp. We are very comfortably situated here, and I do 
 
48 History of the Fourth Regiment, 
 
 not think that there is one among us but what would 
 rather remain here than go back to camp art German- 
 town. There are several regiments here, and they take it 
 by turns going out on vidette or picket post. My regi 
 ment went yesterday, and has just returned. I did not 
 get to go, as it was known that I was (free) stone mason, 
 and was detailed to build a big bake oven, ten feet wide and 
 twelve feet long, intended to bake bread for the whole 
 congregation. Almost every day there are some com- 
 iug and some leaving here. I suppose we will return 
 in a few days. This morning I went out to the furthest 
 point occupied by our troops to a place called Monson s 
 Hill, and there I could easily see all creation. I could see 
 Washington City and Alexandria ; at the latter could see a 
 a United States flag as high as Trinity monument; also 
 partially see Arlington Heights. I will go back there if I 
 can. Could see the enemy s position better perhaps than 
 they could see ours from their ba.lloon. The Potomac 
 River is literally covered with vessels, the masts of some 
 of them extending up considerably nearer Heaven I fear 
 than the occupants of the vessels will ever be. While I 
 was there I saw a balloon go up three times at Washing 
 ton City. Suppose it went up to see what (I) we were 
 doing. Could see their line of tents for miles up and down 
 the river. It was really a beautiful sight. 
 
 We are now in as pretty a town as we have ever seen. 
 The inhabitants a.re all gone, being friendly to the Union; 
 so we have full control here at present. I am now sitting 
 on the big church, writing on a bench. We are but a few- 
 yards from the celebrated Falls Church, from which the 
 town takes its name. This Falls Church was built long 
 before the War of Independence, and is built of brick 
 brought from England; so stated. Here is where W T ash- 
 ington used to come to church, and some say his member 
 ship was here; others say it was at Fail-fax Court House. 
 This place reminds me a little of old Pickensville, only it 
 is a much larger place. Would like to live here very well. 
 Will now stop till to-morrow. 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 49 
 
 SATURDAY EVENING, 5 O CLOCK, SEPTEMBER 21 ST. This 
 morning, having nothing to do, I went off about one mile 
 from town, into the woods, to patch up my breeches, re 
 maining awhile in my shirt tail. During the operation 
 if a dog had seen me and not have laughed, he would un 
 doubtedly have switched his tail or boo-hooed and run 
 backwards, with his tail touching his chin. I had left all 
 my clothes at camp, only what I had on, and they had 
 got torn pretty bad right right where Mamma used to 
 slap me. While I was tailoring away at my pants, a gun 
 was fired, a few yards off. 
 
 I took long stitches, jerked on my breeches, jumped over 
 ditches, went through the switches, and formed a line of 
 march and made for camp. You may inquire what kind 
 of a line I formed. Answer: A bee line. 
 
 There has been a good deal of firing along our picket 
 line to-day. We had one man killed, a Virginian, and two 
 of the enemy killed. 
 
 It is nearly dark now and raining. I must stop. 
 
 SUNDAY EVENING, 2 O CLOCK. I have just returned from 
 preaching. One Episcopalian preached a sermon in Falls 
 Church a very good sermon. We are now ordered back 
 to camp. 
 
 GERMANTOWN, VA., EARLY MONDAY MORNING, SEPTEM 
 BER 23D. We left Falls Church about one hour, by the 
 sun, yesterday evening, and got here about 2 o clock this 
 morning, tired out. 
 
 Thomas Burroughs is dead. He died last Wednesday. 
 That makes eight of my company that I know of who 
 have died. There may be others. 
 
 It is said that we will go back to Falls Church in about 
 fifteen days. Hope we may, for I like the place better 
 than any place I have seen in Virginia. Must now close. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
50 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, GERMANTOWN, 
 FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA., September 29th, 1861. j 
 
 Just after closing my last letter to you I found that I 
 could get a wagon to go after some clothing that t had 
 sent to Gainesville just after the battle. We had all sent 
 clothing there. So I started, but was sorry for it; for 
 riding in a wagon on a road paved with nigger head rocks 
 is enough to jolt the ambition out of any soldier; it came 
 very near jolting the ambition out of me. Gainesville is 
 about fifteen miles distant from here, and we were gone 
 two days John Manning, myself and the driver. We 
 camped as we came back at the old Stone Bridge battle 
 field. Next morning I and Manning walked over part of 
 the battlefield which we had fought. It was an awful sight. 
 What dirt had been thrown on many of them had washed 
 off, and their bones were only held together by their cloth 
 ing. There were hundreds in that condition. Tt was truly 
 a ghastly sight to look upon. I never wish to see another 
 such a sight; and, to make the matter more revolting, it 
 was raining a little, and the dampness made the stench 
 almost unendurable. We left the field of skulls early, and 
 we got back to camp that evening, feeling very sad. We 
 had succeeded in getting all our clothing. Irving, pos 
 sum time is coining; catch all you can, and tell Bear to 
 be a good dog and not bite any person but Yankees and 
 free niggers. He can tell a free nigger by his walk and a 
 Yankee bj his talk. 
 
 A letter is handed me. Let me read it. The letter is 
 from W. B. Brown. He informs me that you are well. 
 
 In speaking of the old bai tlefield I forgot to say that 
 the trees about there are literally torn to pieces. 
 Among the rest there is a walnut tree, about a foot 
 through, that is torn in splinters. I send you a small 
 splinter of it in this letter and some cedar leaves off a tree 
 that I was under when a cannon ball tore it all to pieces, 
 throwing brush and leaves all over me. 
 
 You say that it made you feel bad because a, cannon 
 ball went so close to me. I think you had better be glad 
 that it went no nearer to me. There were hundreds of 
 
South Carolina, Volunteers. 51 
 
 men that were hit by balls of one sort or another. A miss 
 is as good as a mile. Tell Mrs. Land to be sure and let me 
 know whether she is dead or not, as I can hear nothing 
 from her; and if she is dead, to let me know how long she 
 has been dead, and what it was that killed her, and all 
 that she thinks I would like to know about it. There are 
 a good many getting furloughs to go home, but I don t 
 want one. When I come home t want to remain there. 
 
 Do the best you can, and I will do what they tell me 
 to do Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. When I wrote the above letter I was quite unwell, but re 
 mained in camp. If I had went to the hospital, as they wanted me to, 
 I might have died. 
 
 ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, ) 
 
 G.ERMANTOWN, YA., October 6th, 1861. } 
 We were reviewed the other day by Generals Beauregard 
 and Johnson. It was a big day with us. Tell Mr. E. J. 
 Earle that I will edit a paper for him when I come home, 
 and call it the Evergreen Trumpet, and Avill trumpet every 
 thing that he knows and everything that I know, and a 
 great sight more things than we both know, from the 
 rivers to the ends of the earth, and from Dan even unto 
 Beersheba. Everything is high here now and getting 
 higher continually. Chickens, from the size of a torn tit 
 up to the size of a robin red-breast, thirty cents; butter, 
 some of it old enough to speak for itself, thirty cents per 
 pound ; eggs the same, and everything else in double 
 proportion. I gave sixty cents for a plug of tobacco yes 
 terday that I could have gotten for ten cents at home when 
 I left there. I will now close this letter. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. E. J. Earle had written to me for mischief that he wanted me 
 to come home and edit a paper. He was aware that I was waiting a 
 great many letters for the boys (he lives at Evergreen). In the above 
 letter I wrote a good deal about our condition as to health at the time 
 that I don t here repeat. We had a great deal of sickness at this time 
 and a good many deaths. My letters will be more interesting to the 
 reader when I come to the Spring and Summer of 62. 
 
52 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, GERMANTOWN, VA., ) 
 Thursday, October 10th, 1861. J 
 
 I have got entirely well, and as cool weather has come 
 I hope the health of our army will be better. No news of 
 importance. All quiet. 
 
 Our regiment is again on picket guard. I will now try 
 to explain to you how our different guards are arranged 
 so that you can understand it. In the first place we have 
 what we call a regimental gua.rd (every regiment has one). 
 So many men are detailed every morning from each com 
 pany, and are posted around the regiment to watch for 
 the enemy and to see that everything is going on right. 
 This guard is divded into three reliefs, one relief on post 
 at a time, being relieved every two hours, so that each 
 relief is on post just one-third of the time. We also have 
 what we call a brigade guard. Men are detailed from the 
 regiments constituting a brigade, and a, portion of them 
 are placed on all the roads and highways leading toward 
 our camps, divided into reliefs, as the regimental guard. 
 This constitutes a brigade guard. A picket guard is when 
 one, two, three or more regiments are sent as near the 
 enemy s lines as practicable to watch the movements of 
 the enemy. They are also divided into reliefs like the 
 other guards; and when any one is on post he is called a 
 vidette, or is on vidette guard . So hereafter if I inform you 
 of our pickets, or those of the enemy, being driven in, you 
 may know what I mean, and that is, that the other party 
 has commenced an advance and that hard times are 
 coming. 
 
 The reason that I am not on picket with my regiment is 
 that I was on brigade guard when the regiment went off. 
 The regimental guard has to go with the regiment, but 
 the brigade guard does not. That is why I am now here. 
 So much for the guard. I should have stated above that 
 there is never more than one regiment taken from a bri 
 gade at a time. There are four regiments to a brigade ; 
 so myself and one more of my company, named Hadley 
 Elrod, is all that is left here of my company. I am now 
 off of brigade guard and am commander-in-chief of my 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 53 
 
 own self until the regiment gets back. If my regiment 
 should go to fighting I will trot down there on a double- 
 quick (poke) march. I drew some coffee for my company 
 this morning and sent it to them. Don t laugh at me 
 when I tell you what I sent it in. I took the legs of an old 
 pair of drawers of mine (perfectly clean), and put the 
 coffee in one leg and the sugar in the other. Rather a 
 queer kind of a saddle bag, was it not? I also sent the 
 boys potatoes, in bags, as black as the ace of spades, or 
 clubs either; but we have got so that we don t want any 
 thing better than a gourd or a turtle shell to eat out of. 
 Please send me a turtle shell or two, as I am needing a 
 tray very bad. If you can do so I will take it as a great 
 favor of you. Captain Thomas Dean has resigned his 
 commission and gone home, and A. T. Broyles has taken 
 his place as captain. Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. On the I3th of October I wrote again to my wife, but there is 
 nothing worth repeating in it. I only said to my wife that the only 
 reason we did not fight was that the enemy was afraid of us and we of 
 them, and that was all that kept us apart. 
 
 CAMP NEAR BULL RUN, 1 
 
 PRINCE WILLIAM Co., YA., October 19th, 1861. j 
 On Tuesday last we got orders to again pack up goods 
 and chattels and be ready to move. We did so, and re 
 mained up all night. At daybreak, Wednesday morning, 
 we started and got the extraordinary distance of one 
 hundred yards, and remained there till sundown, and then 
 commenced our march. We got within about a half mile 
 of this place, about 10 o clock at night, tired out and 
 hungry. Next morning, Thursday, we came on here, near 
 Bull Run Creek, and cleaned out a place for our camp, 
 right in the woods. Our entire brigade is here, and our 
 whole army has fallen back from near the Potomac River, 
 We have a large force now placed up and down this creek 
 for sixteen miles. I think this backward movement of 
 ours is done to try and draw the enemy from their in- 
 
54 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 trenchments and get th em on the run again (Bull Run). 
 We are now where the battle was fought on the 18th of 
 July last, arid about five miles below Stone Bridge, where 
 we fought on the 21st. 
 
 I am sorry to say that we are still drawing no money. 
 I have drawn none in three months. It is hard to draw 
 blood out of a turnip. Our camp is called McLane s Ford. 
 Direct to Manassas Junction, Va. Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, MCLANE S FORD, ) 
 PRINCE WILLIAM Co., VA., Nov. 3, 1861. j 
 A thousand and one reports are going the rounds now, 
 none of which have any foundation. I shall not repeat 
 them. One of my mess, named W 7 esley Hale, died at the 
 hospital on the 27th of October last (Sunday). He had 
 been sick several weeks. When he left camp he told me 
 farewell, and said he never expected to see me again, and 
 told me to tell all the boys good-bye. They were going 
 on picket at the time. I have written to his wife of his 
 death. She is a daughter of Ball Thomas. Night before 
 last I was on brigade guard again. It rained a.ll night 
 and the wind blew tremendously hard. I never put in such 
 a night in my life before, and pray God that I never may. 
 Two hours before day, yesterday morning, our regiment 
 was called on to be ready to start on picket guard again 
 by 4 o clock. It was riot time to go, but they were 
 doubling our pickets, as they were expecting an attack 
 from the enemy. It rained so dreadfully hard that they 
 could not cook up any rations; so they went off in the 
 rain without a mouthful to ea,t. I came off of brigade 
 guard at 10 o clock, wet from nose whistle to heel gristle, 
 arid went to cooking for my company. I got a note from 
 my officers to send all the prisoners I could get on down 
 to them. I cooked all I had and started it off in a wagon 
 at 4 o clock; the other companies did the same, there 
 being some men left from each company. I put it in sacks, 
 and on one of the sacks tied a paper with the following- 
 lines : 
 
 "COMPANY C, FOURTH REG. S. C. VOLS. 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 55 
 
 "To all whom it may concern : 
 
 "I send you all that I could draw, 
 So eat it up and hold your jaw; 
 For this is all that I could get, 
 1 don t know what you 11 say to it." 
 
 It is clear this morning, but I fear it will not remain so 
 long. If we have to keep up this picket guard all Winter 
 and I guess we will it will no doubt be the death of some 
 of us at least. 
 
 Six O CLOCK P. M., SAME DAY. Smooth and cloudy 
 again. Told you so this morning. Now, you see, what a 
 philosopher I am. You can tell Mr. Earle that I shall have 
 to back out from editing a paper, as my other duties will 
 not allow me time. My other duties will be making alma 
 nacs. I must close; it is getting dark and gloomy. 
 
 Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, 
 McLANE s FORD, VA., November 10th, 1861. 
 
 Nothing important; all quiet. 
 
 You say that you made a barrel of saur kraut. I want 
 you and Irving, between you, to try and eat your own 
 share and mine too, if you can; it won t be much; only 
 a peck a day, unless it is when I am sick. In that case it 
 would take a half bushel. 
 
 I have just learned that there are ten thousand of the 
 enemy about ninety miles from here, in Western Virginia. 
 A brigade of five regiments of Virginians have all gone 
 on from here to see about it. A regiment of Mississippians 
 have also gone there; seen them start, and a more gigan 
 tic set of men I never saw. It really puzzled me to tell 
 which one of them it was that pushed the bull off the 
 bridge. We are now engaged throwing up breastworks ; 
 it will take eight or ten days to finish, but I believe that I 
 could eat all the cannon balls that will ever be thrown 
 against those works this side of next Spring; know I 
 
56 History of the fourth Regiment 
 
 could if they were yam potatoes. Some time ago we sent 
 some of our blankets to Manassas Junction for safe keep 
 ing; had been trying for some time to get leave to go after 
 my blankets, but could not get leave; so yesterday myself 
 and four others got leave to flank the guard which was at 
 the bridge and go after our blankets ; so we went up the 
 creek about one mile, pulled off our shoes and socks and 
 waded across. Jack McKeen, who is an Irishman, pulled 
 off his B. B. pants. The water was over knee deep and as 
 cold as Greenland, but we got across and went on our way 
 rejoicing. It was about five miles. We got our blankets 
 and some other little things that we needed and started 
 back. By this time it was raining, but through rain and 
 mud we made our way back to Bull Run, and behold ! it 
 had risen about two feet. We did not pull off anything 
 this time, but just took it dry so (a wet so, I should have 
 said). I came on and put on dry clothes, and felt pretty 
 well, considering. 
 
 Since writing the above I understand that some of the 
 enemy have succeeded in landing somewhere between 
 Charleston and Savannah. If so it is clearly necessary that 
 they must be driven back, even if I have to do it myself. 
 
 1 send you $10 in this letter. Do with it as you think 
 best. You know 7 better than I do what you need. 
 
 This morning I put on the new suit of clothes you sent 
 me, and feel as big as a dog in a meat house. I will now 
 close. Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
 ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, ) 
 CENTREVILLE, FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA., Nov. 18, 1861. ] 
 I think I informed you in my last letter that it was 
 rumored we were to move again. At any rate, on Mon 
 day morning last we packed up goods and chattels and 
 came on to this place. I believe I have had occasion to 
 speak of Centreville in some of my former letters. Some of 
 the enemy were stationed here when our regiment and 
 Wheat s Battalion passed within three-fourths of a mile of 
 em in going from Camp Holcomb to Stone Bridge, on the 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 57 
 
 5th of July last, and from here a portion of our own men 
 followed the enemy on the 21st of July, when they left be 
 hind apparently all of their army stores. I passed here on 
 the 23d and 24th of September last in going to and com 
 ing from Gainesville, of which I have .already spoken. It is 
 one of the highest points this side of the mountains. The 
 ground, though high, is quite level for a considerable dis 
 tance on all sides. The situation is beautiful. 
 
 Men are engaged in fortifying our position, and if 
 Abraham (or Isaac or Jacob, either,) undertakes to drive 
 us out he will find it harder work than splitting rails. 
 When our lines are fully established they will be about 
 twenty-five miles long, and this is the place most likely to 
 be attacked, as it is on the main turnpike road, the only 
 one over which heavy artillery could be brought at this sea 
 son of the year. 
 
 This is the opinion of High Private Reid. My opinion 
 also is that there will be no attack before next spring ; it is 
 too cold. 
 
 We are now in plain view of the mountains, which are 
 covered with snow. It was snowing there the whole night 
 night before last and all day yesterday, and it still keeps 
 up. A stormy wind is blowing, and a colder day I never 
 saw or want to see. It is a bad time in camp ; every man 
 is wrapped up in a blankets and hankerchiefs (or shirt- 
 tails), tied around their jaws and ears. And this is only 
 the beginning of winter. 
 
 While sitting in my tent writing this letter my fingers 
 are stiff with cold. My nasty cold nose keeps dropping, 
 and the blots nearly freeze before I can wipe them off the 
 paper. Now, don t mistake me and think that my nose 
 has actually dropped off. It is only the water dripping 
 from it. If my nose was to drop it would stay off, and not 
 keep on dropping. 
 
 Yesterday, while no one was in the tent, a coal of fire 
 blew into our baggage and burnt a hole in the narrative of 
 my broadcloth coat. It also burnt holes in several other 
 garments unnecessary to mention. 
 
 So far as my smoked eyes can see there are nothing but 
 tents and encampments. We are some ten miles from 
 Manassas Junction, three miles from our old battle field 
 
58 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 and some twenty-five miles from Washington city. Last 
 night some of our men came in with thirty prisoners and 
 five wagons loaded with corn, together with forty rnus- 
 kets. They were taken somewhere between Fairfax and 
 Fall s Church. Eight of the captured party made their es 
 cape. Among the prisoners, however, is a ca.ptain, a lieu 
 tenant and three non-commissioned officers. I will now 
 stop until morning. 
 
 NOVEMBER 18. Nothing new. Cold as ice. 
 
 I omitted in a former letter to tell you the name given 
 our regiment. As we went to Fall s Church on picket duty 
 one night, every regiment we passed would call uut : "What 
 regiment ?" When answered we were allowed to pass on. 
 Upon one occasion when the answer was given, "The 
 Fourth regiment, from South Carolina," some big-throat 
 ed fellow hollowed out at the top of his voice, "Good God ! 
 is that the old Bloody Fourth, of which there is so much 
 talk ?" We will go under that name henceforward and 
 forever. Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
 ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, ) 
 CENTREVILLE, NOVEMBER 24, 1861. \ 
 Nothing new. Our officers still persist in saying that we 
 will have a fight soon, but I see no more prospect of it 
 now than I did two months ago. My private opinion is 
 that we will do nothing more than a little skirmishing be 
 fore next spring, but then we will catch it. Gum-headed 
 as I arn, time will tell whether I am right or not. The 
 Federal general and everybody else knows that a burnt 
 child dreads the fire, and he and his men, too, dread their 
 second trip to Richmond, and well they may. I believe it 
 is their intention to draw us away from our present posi 
 tion. I understand that they are making some feints in 
 South Carolina. It is only done to get us away from here. 
 They don t seem to have forecast enough to know that 
 there are now enough men in South Carolina to defend it. 
 for the present, arid if not, the women of oS uth Carolina 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 59 
 
 would help them, wouldn t they, Polly? Tell A. M. Hol 
 land to take his two boys and my boy and go down and 
 whip the last one of them out of their boots, if they have 
 any boots on. Perhaps he had just as well take a free 
 nigger along to act as a reserve. Or would it be best to 
 put the nigger in front so as to draw their attention from 
 the whites ? A nigger woman would be better. 
 
 I had to write something to you and I have done the 
 best I could under existing circumstances. 
 
 Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
 CENTREVILLE, YA., Nov. 26, 1861. As I am busy nearly 
 all my time I will start a letter to-day and finish it when I 
 have a chance. We had a big time here yesterday, and all 
 the troops were called out and reviewed by General Beau- 
 regard. I am again on brigade guard to-day, and have 
 come to camp for my dinner. 
 
 Reports are current here to-day that the enemy is ad 
 vancing. I don t believe a word of it. We are ordered to 
 again send off our heavy baggage. We have unanimously 
 and with one accord not done so. If I have to loose my 
 things at all I had about as leave loose them here as else 
 where, so my things don t go. 
 
 I said that 1 did not believe that theenemy were advanc 
 ing. One grand reason why I don t believe it is that our 
 advanced pickets are not driven in, which they un 
 doubtedly would be if the enemy were advancing. They 
 may make some people believe these reports, but I don t 
 believe them. I also have several other reasons for disbe 
 lief the maneuvers of our big officers don t denote it. 
 
 I will now have to stop and go back to my post. 
 
 WEDNESDAY EVENING, November 27th. I have been re 
 lieved from brigade guard. I was relieved at 10 o clock 
 this morning. To-day is the worst day that we have had. 
 It is snowing and sleeting, and is cold enough to freeze. 
 Between you and I, I wish it was not. 
 
60 History of the Fourth Regiment, 
 
 Not much talk of Yankees to-day. T \veri ty-eight prison- 
 ers brought in to-day. They won t tell us much. I have 
 heard so much of another big fight that I believe I would 
 rather see it than to hear of it. It is now late in the even 
 ing and has quit snowing. 
 
 THURSDAY EVENING Nov. 28th The biggest day yet. 
 This morning at 10.30 o clocK everybody and the cook 
 was called out, and each regiment was presented with a 
 battle flag. General Beau regard was again present and 
 so was everybody else. It was the grandest time we have 
 ever had. We were told that the flags were made and sent 
 to us by our wives, mothers and sisters, with an order 
 from them to defend them. We will most assur 
 edly obey that order. We were drawn up in a hollow 
 square and several speeches were made. There were sev 
 eral bands of music on hand, and, as each regiment filed 
 off toward their quarters, every band struck up "Pop Goes 
 the Weasel." I have never heard or seen such a time be- 
 before. The noise of the men was deafening. I felt at the 
 time that I could whip a whole brigade of the enemy my 
 self, but after due reflection I concluded that I couldn t. 
 
 FRIDAY NIGHT (candle light), Nov. 29. I have been 
 throwing up breastworks all day and a,m very tired. I will 
 o to bed. 
 
 SATURDAY EVENING, Nov. 30. Another big day to-day. 
 General Johnson was present this time. We had a big mus 
 ter. Our line was three-fourths of a mile long. We are to 
 have an inspection of arms to-morrow at 10 o clock. I 
 hear nothing of the enemy to-day, or nothing about an 
 other fight. 
 
 There are one or more buried here every day, but then 
 there so many of them here that there will be some of 
 them dying quite often. 
 
 The mountains are again covered with snow, and if we 
 have to remain in these old tents all winter it will hurt us 
 worse than the Federal army. My captain, A. T. Broyles, 
 and a man named Rochester, of my company, were sent off 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 61 
 
 to the hospital to-day. There is another one too sick to 
 be carried off. He will die. His name is Murray a son of 
 Mitchel Murray. 
 
 I have just received a letter from the wife of Wesley Hale, 
 who, I informed you, had died at hospital some time ago. 
 She thanks me very much for writing to her. She requests 
 me to still correspond with her occasionally, so that she 
 may know how things are out here. I will do so, although 
 
 I have never seen her. Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. KEID. 
 
 NOTE. I became well acquainted with Mrs. Hale after the war. She 
 afterward married Marion Cox, both of Anderson county, S. C. 
 
 J. W. R. 
 
 ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, | 
 CENTRE VILLE, FAIRFAX Co., VA., Dec. 12, 1861. ] 
 I again commence writing with nothing to write about. 
 
 I can say that I am still at Centreville, though General 
 McClelland can t boast of being here. So you see I am ris 
 ing in the world like smoke. I can stay at a place where 
 the greatest general of the United States army dare not 
 come. 
 
 I have seen and heard so much since coming to Virginia 
 that nothing less than an earthquake or forty storms 
 combined in one can make much impression on me. If L 
 could not sleep soundly now when there are one hundred 
 men singing, fourteen preaching, twenty-one praying, 
 eleven making political speeches (with unbounded ap 
 plause), eight playing fiddles, twenty-seven beating drums, 
 two hundred playing clarionets, flutes and fifes, fourteen 
 thousand, nine hundred and twenty-eight playing cards, 
 forty-eight wrestling, eighteen patting "jubah" and one 
 reading his Bible ; if I could not sleep and all that going 
 on within one hundred yards of me, and at the same time 
 raining and freezing, with a wet sheet around me and 
 perched on a liberty pole I say that if I could not sleep 
 under these favorable circumstances of course I would not 
 say that I could. 
 
62 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 On Saturday last we again went off on picket and re 
 turned on Tuesday. We saw nothing of our enemy, while 
 I walked off a mile or so to myself several times. How 
 strange it did seem to be alone. 
 
 There is as much rumor here as ever. Some days, if we 
 could believe rumor we would think we would soon be in 
 South Carolina. And perhaps on the next day, according 
 to the same gentleman, we are going to the city of Wash 
 ington, and by the next day somewhere else. By to-mor 
 row, according to Mr. Rumor, we may be the other side of 
 Mason and Dixon s line. 
 
 It is now stated, and I believe it a fact, that we will 
 be called upon to re-volunteer for three years, or during 
 the war. As all that will do so will get a furlough home 
 and $50 bounty, it is a very good bait, and one tha,t a 
 great many will bite at, but I don t expect to even nibble. 
 Still, I m in favor of the plan, as we are obliged to keep an 
 army here or give up the ghost, and if an army is not 
 raised in this way it will have to be done by drafting. In 
 April my time will be out, and then I will sing, "0, carry 
 me back, carry me back, from Old Virginia s shore/ 
 
 There were two men of Wheat s battalion shot here the 
 other day by order of court martial. It was an awful af 
 fair. It is now night and very cold. Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 CENTREVILLE, YA., Dec. 22, 1861. There was a battle 
 fought a few miles above here day before yesterda-y, in 
 which our side was considerably worsted. One of the regi 
 ments of my brigade w r as in it the Sixth regiment. They 
 lost eighty-three men killed and wounded. Some of the regi 
 ment fared even worse than that. They are now bringing 
 some of the dead here to bury them. I hear them playing 
 the dead march at the cemetery. Oh, how lonesome ! 
 
 I have been again to-day to visit the old battlefield. I 
 never want to see it again. I saw the stump I got behind 
 for a while that day, thinking it might shelter me a little, 
 but if a cannon ball had hit it, it would have torn the 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. . 63 
 
 stump and me, too, all to pieces, and some of them did 
 not miss it very far. The stump is about ten inches high 
 and nearly rotton. A drowning man will catch at a 
 straw. My whole company was lying down at the time I 
 am speaking of. It was while we were on the hill in 
 front of Stone Bridge. 
 
 As many as eight at a time can get furlough now to go 
 home, but I positively don t want one when I come home. 
 I want to remain a while. Christmas will soon be here 
 and then the 14th of April will quickly follow. I send some 
 money in this letter. Do with it as you think best. 
 
 Yours as ever. J. W. REID. 
 
 CENTREVILLE, VA., Dec. 24, 1861. In your letter you 
 say that my dog Bear has not forgotten me. I will bet 
 you a jewsharp to a fiddlestring that if you don t mind 
 him when I come home he will bite me, thinking I am an 
 orangotang, and the very first words you will say will be, 
 u Jesse, do pray shave before you before long." My 
 whiskers come down to well, they come away down yon 
 der, and I can put my moustaches over my ears. Ami not 
 a paragon of beauty ? To-day we began building log 
 cabins for winter quarters. I wished they were finished, 
 for last night my tent blew over and I came very near 
 freezing to death. 
 
 No war news, and I hope there w ? on t be soon. I will stop 
 DOW till to-morrow. 
 
 CHRISTMAS DAY, 3 O CLOCK p. M. Well, Christmas is here, 
 and in a few hours will be where eighteen hundred others 
 are, in the past. How often have you and my sisters, and 
 others, perhaps, said, "I wish Jesse had some of this," 
 when you were enjoying your little Chsistmas tricks, but 
 never mind Jesse on such occasions ; he is faring very well, 
 considering. 
 
 In spite of Major-General Law and Gospel, most of the 
 boys managed to get a wee drop to-day, but all has been 
 very quiet, there being no more noise than three earth- 
 
64 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 quakes and a cyclone, and that is nothing unusual here. 
 For my part I have not tasted a drop. One reason for it 
 is that the stuff is too high, being $5.00 a quart for the 
 worst kind of "rot skull." Having drunk none myself I 
 will miss the supreme felicity of the blues and headache. 
 
 I told you in a former letter that Captain Broyles was at 
 the hospital, and to-day First-Lieutenant D. L. Hall was 
 sent off. Our second lieutenant, William Jones, is also at 
 the hospital. This leaves but one commissioned officer in 
 the company, G. W. Belcher, thii d lieutenant. Your 
 nephew, William jTripp, was also sent of this morning. He 
 will die. Before this reaches you Christmas will be over, 
 and then you can begin to look for April and 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. William Tripp died that same evening. About the time I 
 wrote these letters and for some time afterwards there were no active 
 operations going on. Most of them will not greatly interest the read 
 ers of to-day, so I will run over them pretty fast, until I come to more 
 exciting times. However, I will not leave any of them out entirely, as 
 they may contain some things of interest. I also wish to give our 
 travels in the fall, as I have undertaken to do so. These letters mav no 
 doubt be a little dull to the reader at this time, but just follow me a 
 while and I will raise your bristles. J. \V. R. 
 
 CENTKEVILLE, VA., Dec. 28, 1861. I have gotten a new 
 tent since last I wrote you, and am much more comforta 
 ble than before. We are still working on our huts, but the 
 weather is so bad that \ve are getting along rather slowly. 
 Our wagons have so much to do hauling firewood and 
 provisions that they have but little time to haul lumber 
 for houses, if pine poles can be called lumber. We are get 
 ting the boards for covering our shanties at Stone Bridge, 
 in a swamp. We cut the trees just before the battle, and 
 they were felled across the road and all over the place as 
 an obstruction to retard the enemy in their march on-Eich- 
 mond. 
 
 Clayton Jones, one of my company and a good friend of 
 mine, died at the hospital on Christmas day. 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 65 
 
 A man belonging 1 to the second Georgia regiment was 
 frozen to death the other night. He was sick and had to 
 go out during the night, and was found frozen the next 
 morning. 
 
 An old acquaintance of mine named Wryle, whom I 
 knew in Newberry, died last week. He belonged to an 
 Alabama regiment. 
 
 This thing of getting a thirty days furlough is said to 
 be all knocked in the head, and I arn glad of it. 
 
 The hat I told you of swapping for in July last has be 
 come more holy than righteous, so yesterday I got a cap 
 that has ear covers, and, strange as it may seem I have 
 already had it over two (y)ears. 
 
 NIGHT. (8 o clock.) A powerful cannonading going on 
 down toward Fairfax this evening. I cannot get informa 
 tion as to its meaning, but if the enemy should succeed in 
 reaching this place they will know the way back, as they 
 traveled the same road before at a double quick on July 
 21st last. 
 
 Tell Irving to go to school now w r hile he has an oppor 
 tunity. On the 23d of December, 1837, my father (a 
 school teacher), was well; on the 25th he w r as buried. I 
 never went to school after he died, as I had no chance to 
 go, though I was only twelve years old. I want Irving to 
 go all he can while he has the opportunity of going. We 
 don t know what a day may bring forth. 
 
 Yours as ever, J. VV. KEID. 
 
 NOTE. On the 5th of January, 1862, I wrote again to my family, but 
 there is nothing in the letter worth repeating. We had received an 
 oide -Siot to write anything home concerning our whereabouts, num 
 bers or movements in any way. To this order I paid no attention, but 
 continued writing as I had before, as you will see. J. W. R. 
 
 CENTREVILLE, VA., Jan. 7. 1862. Some of our men still 
 contend that we will have a fight soon. It is the next 
 thing to impossible, for the enemy cannot bring their artil- 
 A ery here while theroads arein their present condition, and 
 
66 History of the fourth Regiment 
 
 they are not likely to attack us with nothing but small 
 arms, but if we should accidentally have a little brush you 
 will hear of it. Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
 CONFEDERATE HOSPITAL, ) 
 CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA., Jan. 14, 1862. } 
 
 I am at length an inmate of the hospital. On Wednes 
 day last we were again sent on picket duty near Fairfax 
 County, some six miles from Centrev.ille. It rained pretty 
 hard, and I got wet and had to remain so, as my blanket 
 and everything I had with me was wet, with no way to dry 
 them. On Friday I was quite unwell and at night had a 
 severe chill with pains in my jaws and head. My head 
 grew worse and I soon became unconscious. My throat 
 was very sore. They said I talked all night, often calling 
 "Polly. 
 
 T was sent back to camp on Saturday. The doctor gave 
 me some medicine and kept my head wet with cold water 
 and on Sunday morning I was sent on to Manassas Junc 
 tion and remained there under a doctor until Monday 
 morning, when I was sent on to this place, a distance, I 
 suppose, of about one hundred miles. I am much better 
 at present, though my head is still somewhat painful. I 
 will be all right in a short time, and as soon as I am able 
 I will go back to camp, for I do riot like to be at a hospi 
 tal. It sounds sickly. 
 
 I find several of our Greenville friends here. Among them 
 are David Westfield, Wash. Richardson, Jasper Smith, 
 James Torrarit, and an acquaintance of mine from New- 
 byrry named Hunt, and many others from different places/ 
 
 Soldiers are dying here every day more or less. 
 
 I am in sight of Monticello. the home of Thomas Jeffer 
 son, who wrote the Declaration of Independence of the 
 United States, and who was afterwards President of the 
 same. I will try to visit the place before I return to camp. 
 I will write again soon, as I know you will be anxious to 
 hear from me. Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 67 
 
 NOTE. I visited Monticellolbefore I left, and also the University of 
 Virginia and all other places of importance that I could. 
 
 I may be mistaken in the distance from Manassas to Charlottesville, 
 as I only guessed at it. J. W. R. 
 
 CENTREVILLE, YA., Jan. 23, 1892. On Sunday I came on 
 to Manassas Junction where I remained all night. When 
 I stepped out into the street on Monday morning, lo and 
 behold, I was up to my knees in mud. While standing 
 there, wondering in which way I should go, who should I 
 see but Wheeler Gilmore, just returned from home. He was 
 as deep in the mud as I was in the mire. We managed to 
 get together and sloshed along as best we could. I never 
 in all my life saw 7 such a muddy road. I remarked to Gil- 
 more that this must be that dismal road which multi 
 tudes pursue. It had been traveled so much as to be 
 about the consistency of mush soap. We reached here in 
 the evening looking like ground hogs. Everything here is 
 about as usual all talk and nothing done, all cry and no 
 wool. There is nothing talked of here but revolunteering 
 and going; home when our time is out. I can only speak 
 for myself in this matter. I have now been from home 
 nearly one year and have never applied for a furlough, nor 
 do I intend doing so. I have always been at my post, 
 have gone through dangers and hardships innumerable 
 and have never grumbled. I have never had a day s rest 
 from my toils and sufferings, and now that the time is ap 
 proaching when my time will be out I shall most assuredly 
 take advantage of it and come home, but I am well aware 
 that I cannot content myself very long and my comrades 
 still in service. Still, I will come if I can and take my time 
 my time about coming back. 
 
 The weather is very bad raining and freezing or snow T - 
 ing nearly all the time. We have gotten into our huts, 
 called winter quarters. We are dreadfully crowded. I have 
 nine men in my hut. Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
68 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 CENTREVILLE, Va., Feb. 7, 1862. We went on picket on 
 Saturday were returned on Tuesday. We had a very 
 rough time. It snowed nearly all the time and was very 
 cold, but we are getting so that we do not mind the 
 weather, so the wind don t blow. But the wind did blow 
 almost a storm, though none of us froze. It is always too 
 hot or too cold for some people, but we have gotten so 
 that we do not mind heat or cold. 
 
 You will see that a good many of the boys are re-volun 
 teering and coining home for thirty days. You will also 
 see that I am not doing so. Some may think that I should, 
 but I think differently. Let those who are at home come 
 next, and [ will take turns with them. 
 
 Some of the men here are doing all they can to get 
 others to re-volunteer, but are not doing so themselves. 
 Human nature will show itself. The boys can and no 
 doubt will tell you more than I can (or would) write, but 
 you need not take what they say as Gospel facts. If you 
 could credit all tha,t some of them tell you, you would 
 think that we would have suffered an ignominious defeat 
 at Stone Bridge had they not beten present. There are one 
 or two who were not with us, but I believe they did more 
 to Avin the battle than those who participated in it, or at 
 least you would think so from hearing them talk. 
 
 Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. I sent the above letter and some other things home by Zion 
 Lofton, who had re-volnnteered and gotten a furlough to go home, as 
 did also many others. j. W. R. 
 
 CENTREVILLE, YA., Feb. 16, 1862. They are still calling 
 upon us to re-volunteer, and some few of ttjemen aredoing 
 so, but as the Scotchman said, they can call loud and long- 
 before they get me. 
 
 My 7-egiment has just returned from another tour on 
 picket. I did not go. One of my mess, named Jeff Pitts, 
 had a spell of cramp colic the night before, and my cap 
 tain got me to stay and attend to him. The captain did 
 not have to use force to make me stay. Pitts was really 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. (>9 
 
 badly off, and was the worst scared man I ever saw. He 
 talked a good deal about another world he expected soon 
 to visit, but he did not seem to think he would suffer cold 
 there as he was here. In fact, he seemed to think he would 
 cross the equatorial line and enter the torrid zone. He 
 told me a great many things to tell his wife, which I doubt 
 if he tells her the next time he sees her. Pitts is now as 
 well as ever, and says he is going to do better from this 
 time on, but will soon forget to until he has another spell 
 of colic. He begs me now not to tell what he said when he 
 thought he was going to his daddys . 
 
 I hope I can soon come home, but when I do come I will 
 be nearly in the condition in which I came into the world, 
 so far as pants go, but I will try to keep them patched up 
 until then. It is well known here that I keep a large 
 needle. Some one is continually wanting to borrow it. 
 When I ask the question, "What do you want with it the 
 answer invariably is, "To sew up my breeches." Of course 
 1 always let them have it, well knowing what a spectacle I 
 would present had I no needle. Nothing more at present. 
 Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
 CENTREVILLE, VA., Mach 1, 1862. I have just returned 
 from another tour on picket. We were gone four days. 
 We have had a very bad time, the snow being nearly knee 
 deep. While on picket we got out of rations, but it was 
 on the day that our wagons were to bring provisions from 
 Warren ton to camp. That evening I volunteered to go to 
 camp and bring back some rations next morning, provid 
 ing someone would go with me. The officer in command 
 then called for a volunteer from each company to go with 
 rne and get provisions for the other companies. But none 
 would volunteer. Neither would any one go with me from 
 my own company. By this time it was nearly night and 
 four miles to camp. I started alone. 
 
 I went through the cold wind that evening, 
 
 None else of the regiment would go ; 
 I followed my own tracks the next morning, 
 
 That were deeply indented in snow. 
 
70 History oi the Fourtli Regiment 
 
 I had no road to guide me and went entirely by guess, 
 but I finally succeeded in getting to camp, about one hour 
 after dark, tired down and nearly frozen. I got rations 
 for my company hog s head and backbone. Some of the 
 boys who had been left at camp sick, told me to lie down 
 and let them do the cooking. I did so, and about 11 
 o clock was awakened to supper. I got up and ate that 
 fresh meat with a doubly-distilled vengeance. Next morn 
 ing an hour or so before day I put my provisions in asack, 
 threw it over my shoulder and started. After leaving the 
 camp I had nothing to guide me except the tracks I made 
 in the snow the night before. I reached my company just 
 after daybreak. The boys fairly shouted over me, and the 
 remark was made by many of them that they would never 
 forget me. When I left camp to go for rations I had ten 
 biscuits in my haversack, and told Willis Dickson to get 
 them and eat them that night. When he looked for them 
 they were gone stolen. 
 
 There is plenty of news but none true. 
 
 The weather is the coldest I have ever seen. I have on a 
 flannel shirt, a cotton ditto, my uniform coat, my broad 
 cloth coat, my overcoat, and all my old breeches 
 and am trembling as I write, but I hope my nose won t 
 drop again. I will stop writing and try to warm. 
 
 Yours as ever, J. VV. REID. 
 
 NOTE. Boys, you who are living, have you forgotten my trip through 
 the Snow for rations ? I suppose you have not. I never shall. About 
 the time I wrote letters everything was still. It did not remain so long, 
 as you will see. 
 
 I wrote a few lines home March nth, but it is of no importance. 
 
 J. W. R. 
 
 CAMP TAYLOR, OKANGE COUNTY, VA., March 23d, 1862. 
 I cannot at present give you a full history of our travels 
 from Centre ville to this place, but will do the best I can. 
 We left Centreville on Sundav, March 9th, and that day a 
 prisoner we had with us, said to be seventy-two years old, 
 dropped dead as we were marching along. We had four 
 teen prisoners. We reached Gainesville that day, the 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 71 
 
 place we first got off the cars when we carne to Virginia, 
 and where I told you of going; for my clothes. This is a 
 march of ten miles. Next day we passed several little towns 
 and villages, among them Buchanan, New Baltimore and 
 Warreriton, a considerable place; march fourteen miles. 
 Tuesday, March llth, crossed Rappahannock river at 
 Waterloo Factory (saw lots of girls), passed Amesville and 
 camped ; marched twenty miles. Wednesday, 12th, passed 
 Washington village, Games Cross Roads and Spearsville; 
 marched twelve miles. Thursday we passed Woodville and 
 Little Boston ; marched eight miles. Friday and Satur 
 day we rested on a small mountain. Sunday 16th, 
 inarched eight miles. Monday, passed Culpepper Court 
 house; go eight "miles Tuesday, 18th; cross Robinson 
 river and the Rapid nn by making a foot way with wagons ; 
 go ten miles. Wednesday, rested. Here a man named 
 McMahon, belonging to the Fifth South Carolina regiment, 
 was killed by a falling tree. It was cut down for a squir 
 rel. W T e remained there until Saturday, the 22d, then 
 passed Orange Courthouse and came on to this place, four 
 miles, so you see, we have traveled nearly a hundred miles, 
 though between Centreville and this place the distance is 
 not more than half that great by rail. We came by a 
 very circuitous route on account of most of it being good 
 hard road. It is a mountainous country, arid \ve traveled 
 some distance on the Blue Ridge, from which Ave could 
 plainly see the Allfghany mountains. It made me think of 
 
 Come, cheer uy pretty Polly, and go along with me, 
 And a lady I will make of you in the Alleghanies. 
 
 Although this trip was gratifying to me it was attended 
 with a good many hardships, such as hard marching, 
 heavy baggage, and for last two or three days came 
 through enough mud to daub every negro cabin in the 
 Southern Confederacy. We carried our knapsacks, with 
 our clothing and blankets in them, our haversacks with 
 our provisions and canteens of water, cartridge boxes 
 with ammunition, our bayonet belts with bayonets in them 
 and our muskets on our shoulders a pretty good load. 
 
72 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 You may suppose we had little room for bottles, yet there 
 were some along. 
 
 Our entire army is falling back, some going by one road 
 and some by another. The Federal army is also chang 
 ing their position. I think they are going by water, but 
 where they are moving I don t know or care. But let the 
 enemy go where they will there we will be also. No more 
 at present. Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
 [ The following letter is in answer to the first letter my son, W. Irving 
 Reid, ever wrote me with his own hand. It will not be interesting, but 
 as the advice I give may be of value to the boys of to-day I will publish 
 it here.] 
 
 CAMP TAYLOR, ORANGE COUNTY, VA., March 27, 1862. 
 MyJ)ear Son : I received your very welcome letter, inclosed 
 in one your mother sent. I am very happy to see you can 
 write papa a letter, and you wish me to^say what I think 
 of your handwriting. I think it will do very well consid 
 ering your opportunities of going to school, but still I 
 must say there is considerable room for improvement. Go 
 to school and learn all you can. I have known some ex 
 cellent scholors who were very poor writers. Penmanship 
 is not education. Lrarn to spell well, to pronounce well 
 and learn all you can about arithmetic. If you lea,rn these 
 things well you will be qualified for almost any kind of 
 business. A fine copperplate handwriting is not always a 
 sign of a good scholar. And above all, my son, learn to 
 conduct yourself well and to be an agreeable companion 
 in good society and you will get through the world all 
 right. In the first place, and the first, thing for a child to 
 do, is to obey and honor their parents, and to remember 
 their Creator in the days of their youth. He says, and 
 He cannot lie: "Seek Me early and ye shall find Me." He 
 don t say, "Ye may find Me/ or "Ye can find Me." But 
 thank God, he says, "Ye shall find Me." 
 
 Try to find Him as your mother has done. If I find you 
 as good a boy as I left you I will be satisfied. 
 
 You want to know if I want to see you as bad as your 
 
South Carolina, Volunteers. 73 
 
 mother. I will now tell you an anecdote. 
 
 Once upon a time an old negro, who had an old master 
 and a young master, went to preaching one day. When 
 he returned his old master asked him what he thought of 
 the sermon. He replied that the preacher had told two 
 lies. One was that no man can serve two masters, "an 
 dat am a lie, kase 1 knows I sarve you an Mas Jimmy 
 bof , an den he say he dlove one and hate de odder, an dat 
 am a lie, for Goramighty knows I hate ye bof ." No\v, 
 as to your mother and \ou, Goramighty knows I love 
 you both. Let me hear from you again. Your papa, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 CAMP TAYLOR, OKANGE COUNTY, VA., April 5, 1802. 
 There is a great deal of talk here about a bill now before 
 Congress. The bill proposes to keep all the men in the 
 army between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five years of 
 age, and, as the girl said, that lets me out. The bill also 
 proposes to keep those under eighteen and those over 
 thirty-five years old in the service for ninety days after 
 their time is out, and that catches me again. I know that 
 this bill is before Congress, for I read it myself in a Rich 
 mond paper. I guess the bill will pass, for Jeff Davis 
 recommended it, and it seems that he is dictator, and that 
 our Congress will pass any measure that he recommends. 
 Hut of one thing 1 am certain, that is that we will all be 
 kept in the servece in some way until after another big- 
 fight, if no longer, for that is the only chance of gaining 
 our independence, if we do it at all. 
 
 If Gonm ess can constitutionally keep us ninety days 
 they can just as easily keep us 600 days, or if they can 
 force the balance to remain three years they may just as 
 easily keep them ten years. What is the difference? 
 
 It makes me feel quite sad thus to have my fondest 
 hopes thus blasted. South Carolina and all the other 
 States,! presume, furnished all the troops that were called 
 for. and when they can t do it, it will be time for us to 
 tuck our tails and quit. 
 
74 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 This infernal bill is called the Conscript Bill. If it passes 
 all patriotism is dead, and the Confederacy will be dead 
 sooner or later. Watch passing events and you will believe 
 me. I have gotten to a point where I hardly know what 
 to think. One day I believe we will thrash them like the 
 devil, and perhaps by the next day I take a pessimistic 
 view, and conclude they will thrash us out. To-day 1 am 
 in the latter mood. 1 am beginning to have these little 
 moods quite often and pretty badly, and am daily grow 
 ing worse. 
 
 We have just been furnished with eighty rounds of cart- 
 riges to the man. That looks a little squallish, don t it ? 
 But I have become used to it. I presume there have been 
 ten thousand rounds of cartriges thrown away since we 
 left Centreville because we did not like to carry them. We 
 would say they got wet. These just served us may also 
 get wet 
 
 We have been drilling a good deal to-day. 
 
 Now let us talk about something that is nearer my heart, 
 or nearer my back, I should say. I was engaged in patch 
 ing those dad rotted old breeches a^ain the other day. I 
 could not get a patch that was precisely the same color 
 as the pants, but so near the same thing that you would 
 hardly notice the difference, the pants being black and the 
 patch piece of an old white blanket. All will be one color 
 long before this reaches you. I have two old pairs which I 
 patch and wear, wash and tear time about. They will 
 soon be gone forever, but I am perfectly satisfied that they 
 will go in peace, for there is no doubt of their hol(e)iness. 
 I have one good pair of pants left, but I am try ing to save 
 them to come home in, for if you were to see me in my old 
 ones you might mistake me for a zebra, leopard, or some 
 thing else equally outrageous. 
 
 SUNDAY MORNING, April 6, 1862. Nothing new. Nothing 
 talked of but the Conscript Bill. 
 
 Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
 N. B. : When I write again I don t think we ll bein Camp 
 Taylor. 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 75 
 
 CAMP NEAR LOUISA COURTHOUSE, LOUISA Co., VA., April 
 11, 1862. This letter is on the last piece of paper 1 have, 
 and there may not be roon for all I have to say. On Sun 
 day morning orders reached us to proceed to Fredericks- 
 burg, on the Rapahannock river. This is partly in the di 
 rection from which the army had recently come, only a lit 
 tle farther south. We started just at night and marched 
 ten miles that night and five miles next day, when the 
 order was countermanded, and we turued back toward 
 Richmond. We reached this place yesterday, after march 
 ing forty-two miles. We have just finished cooking two 
 days rations, and I reckon we will go on again, as there 
 is no rest for the wicked. We have been in rain for two 
 days, which has been freezing on our clothes. When or 
 where I will finish this letter I cannot tell. 1 am too busy 
 to write more. 
 
 CAMP FOUR MILES FROM RICHMOND, VA., April 14, 1862. 
 We left Louisa Courthouse and came on here. Nothing 
 important occurred. As we came on here one of my com 
 pany, named Bb. Stinson, was accidentally killed by the 
 cars at Louisa Courthouse. We left on Saturday last and 
 came eighteen miles. On Sunday we made twenty-one 
 miles and to-day twelve miles making fifty-one miles, and 
 nearly 200 from CentreviJle. Just think what a load we 
 had to carry for two hundred miles, through sleet and 
 snow. Our whole division is here to-day. 
 
 My time is out but I cannot come home. Hard times 
 and hard fighting are still before me. Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 CAMP NEAR YORKTOWN, VA., April 18, 1862. I haven t 
 the time or room to write much at present. The Conscript 
 Bill has passed in Congress, keeping all men in the service 
 between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five for 
 three years or during the war, and all in the service 
 who are under eighteen or over thirty-five years of age are 
 to remain in service for ninety days, and will then be dis- 
 
76 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 charged (they say), as you are already aware. I am over 
 thirty-five and will be discharged in July, if a Yankee bul- 
 lett don t discharge me sooner. What I have to go 
 through in the next ninety days the Lord only knows, if 
 I live to go through at all. 
 
 This Conscript Act will do away with all the patriotism 
 we have. Whenever men are forced to fight they take no 
 personal interest in it, knowing that, let them do as well 
 as they can, it will be said they were forced, and their 
 bravery was not from patriotism. My private opinion is 
 that our Confederacy is gone up, or will go soon, as the 
 soldiers themselves will take little or no interest in it here 
 after. A more oppressive law was never enacted in the 
 most uncivilized country or by the worst of despots. Re 
 member what I say, it will eventually be our ruin. 
 
 I suppose some of the people at home would like to give 
 me a free ride on a rail if they knew I said this. But let 
 me tell you that the time for riding rails barebacked is 
 about over with. I am mad at the action of Congress and 
 Jeff Davis, and I won,t deny it. 
 
 We have had some more pretty hard times of late. We 
 left camp near Richmond night before last about eight 
 o clock and walked eight miles to the James river 
 at Richmond, and about 2 o clock the next morning went 
 on board a steamer called the "West Point," and came 
 down the river about one hundred miles, landed and 
 marched eight miles. We are near Yorktown and there 
 is firing going on there now. We don t know at what 
 moment we may be called upon to fight, nor do we care 
 much. 
 
 A great deal depends upon what is done in the next 
 ninety days. I am yet in tolerable spirits (I wish some 
 spirits were in me), and as stout as a mule. I can walk fifty 
 miles a day, swim the James river from bank to bank, 
 can jump up and knock my heels together three times, and 
 can out run or jump, whip or throw any Yankee this side 
 of the Mason and Dixon line, or at least I feel as though I 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 77 
 
 could. So cheer, up my liyely lads in spite of wind or 
 weather. shall have to stop for the present-. 
 
 Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. When I wrote the above I was angry because the Conscript 
 Bill had passed Congress, and, to speak plainly, I have not yet entirely 
 recovered niy temper. I was not the only one who was angry, and it 
 did kill patriotism. j. W. R. 
 
 CAMP NEAR YORKTOWN, WAitwicK Co., VA., April 24, 18(>2. 
 Nothing new or important. We are within a hundred 
 yards of the house where Washington had his headquar 
 ters previous to the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. I have 
 just returned from the place. It is a small, -old -fashioned 
 house, painted white. I have a canteen of water with me 
 gotten from the spring near the house. The old ditches 
 are to be seen here to-day, they are quite small compared 
 with ours of to-day. We are stationed between the James 
 and York rivers, and not very far from either. The coun 
 try here is very low, almost on a level with the river. I 
 dug a hole about two feet deep, out of which I get water. 
 It will undoubtedly be sickly here in summer, though I 
 don t suppose we will be here then. 
 
 * We have not been in the trenches on guard as yet, but 
 will probably be there soon. There are a few men killed 
 about the trenches every day. 
 
 We were to-day reduced from a regiment to a battalion 
 of five companies. A regiment has ten. My com pany and 
 Captain Anderson s company were consolidated and 
 formed one company. We elected D. L. Hall, captain ; 
 William Jones, first lieutenant ; Pinckney Haynie, second 
 lieutenant, and a Mr. Kay, third lieutenant. The captains 
 are Long, Cauble, Grirtm and Hawthorne. Charles Matti- 
 sou is elected major of the battalion. 
 
 As the mail is about starting I will stop. 
 
 Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
78 History of the fourth Regiment 
 
 CAMP NEAR YORKTOWN, VA., April 30, 1862. As there 
 is to be an inspection of arms this morning at 10 o clock, 
 I will not have time to write nmch. I have to fix up for 
 the occasion. News is about as it was when I wrote last 
 nothing talked of but fighting. It assuredly will come 
 soon. We have taken our turn in the trenches. None of 
 the command killed. Firing is going on continually, but 
 ri o regular attack as yet. 
 
 I told you in my last letter that I had been to Washing 
 ton s headquarters. Since that si me I have been to York- 
 town, on the York river, one mile and a half from here. In 
 going there I passed the spot where Lord Cornwallis sur 
 rendered to Washington, which ended the War of Indepen 
 dence. I wish McClelland would surrender to us and end 
 this war. He undoubtedly would have it to do if we had 
 a navy on the river below him, but as we haven t that I 
 can t exactly say how it will turn out. McClelland has 
 vessels on the river, so that if we ever whip them here it 
 will be quite an easy matter for them to take to their ves 
 sels and go somewhere else. I ll bet a Jew s harp they ll 
 have it to do before I go home in the middle of July next. 
 Yorktown is a very old town and the York river here is 
 very wide because of the tide water. I bought a string of 
 fish at Yorktown the other day, the first I have had in lo, 
 these many days. The next day I bought a shad, but had 
 to give part of it for salt to salt the balance. Those who 
 can t turn can t spin. 
 I must now fix up for inspection of arms. 
 I will write again when I can. We don t know what a 
 day may bring forth, but the sooner we fight the better. 
 Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
South Carolina, Volunteers. 79 
 
 THIRTY MILES BELOW KICHMOND, VA., May 11, 1862. 
 
 Though many of my comrades lay cold in the field, 
 
 I am here still able my weapon to wield ; 
 
 They were comrades of mine who were slain in the fight, 
 
 While I am still spared this letter to write. 
 
 I ll ne er see them again this side of the grave, 
 
 But such is the end of the valliant and brave. 
 
 I can now see the slaughter, I can now hear the sound, 
 
 I ne er can forget it till I m buried in the ground. 
 
 I can still see them bleeding, I can still hear them cry, 
 
 But I hope they are now in the Mansions on High. 
 
 An unseen hand has carried me safely through another 
 storm of balls, shells and other missiles of death and de 
 struction and I am here to-day not only able to write, but 
 unhurt and untouched by an enemy s weapon. Nothing 
 less than God could have carried me safely through such 
 an awful day, a day I never can forget. I presume you 
 have already heard from this battle, though not from me. 
 I know your aprehension and anxiety concerning me, but 
 the army has been marching ever since the battle. I have 
 had no opportunity of writing until now, and even if I had 
 had an opportunity I could not have written for want of 
 paper. You see this is written upon the blank pages of a 
 memorandum book. 
 
 I will begin at the first and tell you as nearly as I can 
 how it has been with us since I last wrote you. 
 
 All the troops about Yorktown left camp just after dark 
 on Saturday night, and marched loiteringly all night, only 
 getting about ten miles from camp. On Sunday, the 4th, 
 we traveled about twelve miles. My battalion passed Wil- 
 liamsburg about four miles and put up for camp. The 
 enemy was close behind our rear guard all day, and late 
 in the evening there was a considerable skirmish with 
 them near Williamsburg. About an hour after dark we, 
 (thit is Mattison s battalion), were sent back below Wil 
 liamsburg on picket guard, after traveling all day and the 
 night before. It was a very dark night, cloudy and driz 
 zling rain. We nearly ran into the enemy s lines before we 
 knew it. Three men were put at each post, with orders to 
 stay awake all night, and for one of us to crawl out to- 
 
80 History oi the Fourth Regiment 
 
 ward the enemy s lines, and find out, if possible, their posi 
 tion. I crawled out to a fence about one hundred yards in 
 the rear of my post two or three times through the night. 
 I could distinctly hear them talking while at the fence, but 
 could see nothing on account of the darkness. 
 
 Thus we passed the night of the 4th of May ; the rnin 
 descending slowly. Just at daylight the enemy commenced 
 snapping caps on their guns to dry the tubes, I suppose. 
 I will admit that 1 never felt so nervous in rny life. I did 
 not feel half as badly when the battle was regularly 
 opened. I never shall forget the bursting of those caps. 
 
 A little after daylight they appeared in large numbers 
 and soon attacked. We held our ground as long as pos 
 sible, giving them as good as they sent, until about 
 7 o clock, when they came in such overwhelming numbers 
 as to force us back on our main lines, a distance of about 
 six hundred yards, with the loss of several of our men. 1 
 lost all my clothing and blankets. In falling back we had 
 a slanting hill to go down and when we got to the foot of 
 it our artillery opened fire on the enemy over our heads, 
 This stopped them from following us. We then took a cir 
 cuitous route, so as not to be in the way of the artillery, 
 finally got around and went into the fort, near the main 
 road to Williamsburg. While skirmishing that morning we 
 left several men killed or wounded, who fell into the enemy s 
 hands. While Thomas Stacks and another man were 
 carrying off Archibald Sadler, who was wounded, the man 
 who was helping was shot dead and a Minnie ball struck 
 Stacks canteen and tore it all to pieces. Stacks left Sad 
 dler, and he is now in the enemy s hands. He is badly 
 wounded A ball went through my overcoat, but did not 
 graze the skin. 
 
 The fort into which we went is called Fort Richmond. 
 We (Mattison s battalion) remained in the fort amid a 
 storm of shell, cannon and musket balls until late in the 
 evening. 
 
 The fighting was going on all this time to our right and 
 left without a moment s intermission. The noise was 
 deafening. The sight was sickening. A continual roaring 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 81 
 
 was going on the full length of our line. Oh, the slaughter 
 that was made that day the slaughter of human beings, 
 brother against brother. 
 
 The fort, as I have said, was on the main road, and it was 
 here that the heaviest attack was made, but the nine pieces 
 artillery we had in the fort and the infantry backing it 
 kept the enemy at a distance all day. Two or three times 
 during the day they attempted to charge and drive us 
 out of the fort, but were just as often repulsed with heavy 
 loss. Late in the evening a brigade or two of our men 
 came up from our right wing and engaged the enemy di 
 rectly in front of us. At this juncture of affairs our bat 
 talion was taken out of the fort and ordered to storm a 
 fort the enemy were in possession of, up to our left. We 
 obeyed the order, and with a corporal s guard undertook 
 to storm afortwell supplied with artillery and perhaps ten 
 times our number of infantry to back them. We made a 
 bold but unsuccessful effort to drive them out, and being 
 repulsed, filed off into a strip of woods somewhat out of 
 range of their guns. Just after this a whole brigade of our 
 made a charge on the fort, but were driven back with 
 considerable loss. Our battalion had also lost several 
 men. One of my company named Gantt Milford had his 
 leg shot off at the thigh and died in a few minutes. While 
 we were lying flat on the ground a cannon ball struck 
 about two feet from Willis Dickson, going under the 
 ground, and raising him off the ground a foot or more, 
 but not hurting him seriously. There were a great many 
 narrow escapes. 
 
 About the time that brigade made its unsuccessful 
 charge night came on and ended the slaughter. 
 
 We had then been marching or fighting or on guard two 
 days and nights, and I was completely broken down. It 
 had also been raining the greater part of the time. My 
 clothing was wet, my body nearly frozen, and in this con 
 dition we were again ordered on guard. We were ordered 
 to go into an empty fort and remain there as a guard. I 
 flatly refused to go in the condition in which I was. I 
 would have died first. I left ranks and went to a house in 
 
82 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 Williamsburg, where I remained all night, of which I shall 
 try to give you a description hereafter. 
 
 I shall not undertake a description of the battle. A de 
 scription of one is a description of all big battles. I will 
 only remark that the firing did not cease for a moment 
 from early dawn until dark, in fact, firing was going on in 
 places until after dark. The losses on both sides are 
 heavy. When the battle ended each army occupied about 
 the same position they had at the beginning. I will give 
 you my opinion about it hereafter. 
 
 Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. This man, Archibald Sadler, whom I speak of as wounded 
 that morning, got well and came through the war safely. J. W. R. 
 
 THIRTY MILES BELOW RICHMOND, VA., May 11, 1862. 
 I stated in iny last letter that I refused to go on guard 
 the night after the fight. I plainly but modestly told my 
 officer that I could not and would not go. An officer, 
 whose name I shall not mention, told me to step out of 
 rank and say nothing about it, and that he would say 
 nothing. The darkness favored me in getting away un 
 noticed, so I gave myself the word of command "About 
 face, deployed off in single file and made my way to 
 Williamsburg, about half a mile away. I found the peo 
 ple had vacated their houses, but badly as I felt, I did not 
 take the liberty of going into a house without leave from 
 some one. I finally found an old negro in a kitchen cook 
 ing his supper. I said, "Uncle, can I stay by your fire to 
 night ? I m very tired, wet and cold, and I need a little 
 sleep." "Yas, boss, more n welcome. I s heah by myself, 
 sah, and will be glad of a little company. If you is a In- 
 fedret so ger, come in, sah. I guess you knows how to 
 have yo self, sah." I told him that before the war I had 
 had some faint idea of good behavior, but that under 
 existing circumstances I hardly knew whether I could be 
 have myself inside a house or not, as I had not been in 
 one for a good while, and had not slept in one for more 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 83 
 
 than a year, but that at any rate I would treat him civilly. 
 "Come in boss, I knows you s age manbyde way you looks 
 an talks. Spec you d like sump n ter eat. Take a seat 
 by de fire, sah, an I ll have it ready terrecly. De white 
 folks is all gone up towards Richmond, an da tole me dat 
 if any o de Infedret so gers come here to give em any 
 thing they wanted, sah." 
 
 I took the good old darky at his word, and was soon at 
 a good fire drying myself and eating a snack. Hay down 
 by the fire and got as good a night s sleep as I ever had. 
 In the mean time five others of rny command had come in, 
 and they also remained all night. Next morning about 
 sunrise I walked out into the yard, and behold, the town 
 was full of the enemy, but none of them had quite gotten 
 up to where we were. Our army was gone. I called up 
 the other men and hastily evacuated Williamsburg. In 
 passing the suburbs of the town we found a large quan 
 tity of clothing and blankets some of our men had left. I 
 got as much as I wanted and went my way rejoicing. I 
 had returned the things I borrowed from the enemy on th^ 
 21st of July last, but now I am about as well off as before 
 the fight. Of all the mud I ever saw we trudged through 
 it that morning. My overcoat draggled in it. It was about 
 the consistency of fritter batter, and knee deep. There was 
 no way of getting around it. After going about too miles 
 we overtook the battalion, acting as rear guard as usual. 
 We joined them and waded on. We traveled all day and 
 until some time after night. That day Captain Hall got 
 sick and had to stop. I stayed with him until a wagon 
 happened along, and I got him into it. This wagon had 
 been delayed in some way. Our wagons were in front. 
 
 After we had camped that night we drew some flour, but 
 had no way of making up dough or baking it. I made 
 up some of it on my oil cloth and baked it in a tin plate I 
 always carry with me. I put it up before the fire Johnny- 
 cake fashion, and behold, it was good. Most of the men 
 were so worn out they did not attempt to cook, but lay 
 down and went to sleep. Just after I lay down orders 
 came to go to the ordnance wagon, about three hundred 
 
84 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 yards off, and draw cartridges, as the enemy were fast ap 
 proaching. Not a man of my company could be stirred. 
 I went by myself and got a hundred pound box of cart 
 ridges for my company. I might as well have brought 
 acorns to them then. It was now about two o clock. I 
 then told some of the boys not to disturb me until I woke 
 of my ow^n accord, orders or no orders, unless the enemy 
 were upon us, lay down and went to sleep. About 8 o clock 
 next morning I awoke refreshed, and in a short time re 
 sumed the inarch, the enemy following close in our rear. 
 Don t be alarmed. Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
 CAMP TYLER, VA., May 14, 1862 When I wrote my last 
 letter, on the llth, we were on the march. We continued 
 inarching day and night until we reached this place. We 
 have had a dreadful time of it. We are near the Chick a- 
 hominy river, and our camp is in sight of President Tyler s 
 home. Tyler died in Richmond since I came to Virginia. 
 We are not very far from Jamestown, the oldest town in 
 the United States (ununited at present). I am anxious to 
 see the place and perhaps may see it as we go on to Rich 
 mond, for I fully believe that is our objective point, or in 
 the neighborhood of it. It was on this little river (the 
 Chickahominy), that the Indian girl, Pocahontas, saved 
 the life of Captain Smith, before this country was settled. 
 Pocahontas afterwards married Captain Rolf, an English 
 man, and visited England with him. But these are not 
 the times I am writing about, or at least I should not be. 
 
 I believe that in my statement of the fight at Williams- 
 burg I failed to state that a considerable portion of the 
 enemy were making their way up the James and York 
 rivers so as to cut us off from Richmond, but some of our 
 forces at West Point and at some point on the James river, 
 the name of which I have not learned, were keeping them 
 back, and it was fortunate for us that they did so, for it 
 would have been "farewell landlord, farewell Jerry" with us 
 if they had landed. Of course we will have more fighting 
 to do, and that soon, but I am getting like a man I once 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 85 
 
 knew in Edgefield, when speaking of the torments of the 
 wicked after death. He was of opinion that they would 
 get so used to the discomforts of their abode that they 
 would cease to mind it. I have gotten so used to fighting 
 that I do not mind it much. 
 
 I bought three pounds of manufactured tobacco last 
 night, the best I ever saw. I am chewing it now. It rained 
 all night last night. I stuck up some sticks, put up my oil 
 cloth and kept myself dry. I let Rufus McLees stay with 
 me. He is sick. 
 
 I have just this moment learned that the enemy has 
 driven in our pickets. We shall have to fight or "skee- 
 dadle." If we fight I will write when it is over, if living; 
 should we do the other thing will drop you a line when we 
 halt. I prefer the skeedadling if I could have it my way. 
 
 I hear heavy firing down toward West Point. The doc 
 trine of Hardshellism teaches that what is to be will be. 
 Perhaps there is truth in predestination. 
 
 I am almost bomb proof, but if is foreordained that I 
 shall die to-day, tell your people that Jesse died at his 
 post. 
 
 Nothing more until McClelland comes. Firing continues. 
 Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
 CAMP FIVE MILES BELOW RICHMOND, VA., ) 
 Tuesday, May 20, 1862. 2 p. M. j 
 
 I told you in my last letter we would either fight 
 or skeedadle, as the enemy had driven in our pickets. Sure 
 enough, on the next morning, the 15th, we skipped, and 
 crossed the Chickahominy river, not far, it is said, from 
 the spot where Pocahontas performed her act of heroism 
 over two hundred years ago. We came on some eight or 
 ten miles, and camped in the woods during a hard rain. 
 
 The next morning before daylight we resumed the march. 
 We had just drawn some flour, and most of us had made 
 dough, indulging in the anticipation of a good breakfast. 
 I had saved a little coffee for a rainy day, and this was a 
 day that answered that description. We had eaten 
 
86 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 nothing the day before and the rain kept us from cooking 
 anything that night. Jnst about the time our dough 
 was ready to cook orders came for us to march, as the 
 enemy were nearer to us than we wished them to be. That 
 day we passed Fort Holly, or Holland, and about 10 
 o clock halted in an old field, and then I baked my dough, 
 which I had brought with me. Most of the boys had 
 thrown theirs away. I used my tin plate again, made 
 some coffee arid fared sumptuously, eating like a half- 
 starved Bengal tiger. We came on that day to Laurel 
 church. Nothing worthy of note occurred while there, ex 
 cept that one of our boys was made to mark time on the 
 steps of the church for a turn of two hours for shooting at 
 a squirrel (which he missed), it being against orders to 
 fire a gun at that time. It was ludicrous to see him at it, 
 but I felt truly sorry for him. 
 
 We left Laurel church and came to this place, a distance 
 o ? one and a half miles. We are not far from Drurey s bluff, 
 on the James river, and but a short distance from Rich 
 mond. There is trouble ahead of us, and we can t tell 
 what a day may bring forth. Try to keep in good spirits 
 and I will do the same. Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 RICHMOND, VA., May 29, 1862. We left camp near Dru- 
 ley s bluff on the 27th and came on this place. We are now 
 almost in the city of Richmond on the side next to the 
 York river. A fight was looked for yesterday, but it has 
 not come off as yet, though hourly expected. There is 
 heavy skirmishing going on nearly all the time in plain 
 hearing of me. The enemy is said to be in possession of 
 Hanover Station, a few miles above here. A genoral en 
 gagement, such as has never been in modern times is im 
 minent. Both armies are very large, the enemy s forces be 
 ing the largest. But we have great confidence in our 
 generals, and in ourselves, too. I think we will most as 
 suredly drive them back, but it will cost us something. 
 More men will be engaged in this battle, should it open, 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 87 
 
 than has ever been before in modern warfare, the great 
 armies of Napoleon not except ed. A battle with ten or 
 twenty thousand men engaged is called a skirmish. We 
 read and boast of the great battles fought by Washington 
 and others. Washington never had more than fifteen or 
 twenty thousand men with him at any onetime, and never 
 fought as big a battle as that of Williamsburg, the other 
 day, and that was a skirmish compared to the one now 
 pending. 
 
 The armies will be counted by hundreds of thousands. 1 
 apprehend that before this letter ends there will be more 
 men killed than Washington or Lord Cornwallis had in 
 their combined armies. 
 
 I see but little in the papers about our fight at Williams- 
 burg. I suppose the reason is that we fell back from our 
 position. Now, the reason for our doing so is very plain 
 to me. I think it was not because we were worsted in the 
 fight, but that the enemy were trying to force their way up 
 the rivers to cut us off from Richmond. And again, I be 
 lieve our generals were falling back on Richmond in order 
 to shorten our lines. A good piece of generalship it was, 
 too, though I have no doubt it will be currently reported 
 we were whipped. I am not whipped yet. I think we ll 
 change this tune if the engagement takes place. The 
 enemy cannot get above us on the river. To do so they 
 will be obliged to go by land, and if they do that they will 
 encounter a Stonewall they cannot scale. It is Stonewall 
 Jackson, who is harder to manage than granite rock. 
 
 I forgot to mention that we drove the enemy back from 
 Drurey s Bluff, badly damaged, as well as from W T est 
 Point. 
 
 I have just gotten information that Stonewall Jackson 
 has administered another flogging to the enemy. Hurrah 
 for Jackson ! And report says that he took four thous- 
 prisoners. Another report says twenty-eight hundred. I 
 split the difference and say three thousand, and risk 
 stretching my blanket, but I suppose he did take one full 
 regiment of infantry, which was from Maryland, and a 
 regiment of cavaLiy from (confound the name of the 
 
88 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 place, I am so forgetful) anyhow, they are from Europe. 
 I know this much is true, for they have just been brought 
 to Richmond as prisoners of war. The latest news 1 heard 
 from Jackson was that he was playing the devil with the 
 enemy at Harper s Ferry It is thought Jackson will see 
 Washington City by the time Lincoln sees Richmond, Va. 
 It is also said that Jackson has possession of a portion of 
 the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. 
 
 No more news at present, but there will undoubtedly be 
 some for me or some one else to tell before long. Keep 
 cool. Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. In all of my letters I gave the names of our neighbors, stat- 
 ingwho were well, who sick, etc. Amongthem were Bird Philips, James 
 and Willis Dickinson, E. Herring, Thomas Stacks, Samuel Couch, Jim 
 Lofton, R. Jefferson, S. and \V. Harlan, Sandy Earle, Matthew Parker, 
 Tyler Mochat, William Jones, D. L. Hall and others. J. W. R. 
 
 CAMP NEAR RICHMOND, VA., June 2, 1862. 
 
 The sulphur and smoke o ershadowed the earth, 
 
 And the cannon they did rattle, 
 And many brave men lie cold in the earth, 
 
 Who were slain in Seven Pines battle. 
 
 Though the earth has again trembled with the boom of 
 cannon and the atmosphere been darkened by dust and 
 smoke, I am still here, and, strange to say, am unhurt. 
 
 To begin at the first, i will say that on the night of the 
 30th of May a tremendous rain fell, and it was reasonable 
 to suppose that the Chickahominy would be very much 
 swollen, and as it was understood that a division or two 
 of the enemy were on this side of the river, it was also very 
 reasonable to suppose that they could not recross to the 
 other side in the swollen condition of the stream. Neither 
 was it probable that they could be reinforced from the 
 other side. This, I believe, is the reason the attack was 
 made by General Johnson. (This, you understand, is 
 merely a supposition, but I think it very reasonable.) Let 
 the causes have been what they may, the attack was made, 
 the results of which I will endeavor to describe. 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 89 
 
 As I have said, a tremendous rain fell on the night of the 
 30th, and we found it impossible to cook anything for sup 
 per. I can say for my part that I was wolfishly hungry 
 in consequence. Indeed, I could not sleep comfortably with 
 an empty stomach, and got up about two o clock, made a 
 fire and put some peas on to cook. The peas were so 
 black they would have made good ink. About the time 
 they were pretty well done I heard the familiar sound of 
 the long role beating at General Longstreet s headquar 
 ters, and in a few minutes it was beating at the headquar 
 ters of the different brigades and regiments. I knew what 
 was up. I called some of the boys and told them what 
 was going on. Just then that awful, solemn role that has 
 called so many of them to gory beds, took up the peal and 
 thundered in midnight gloom from our own camp. The 
 sound of galoping hoofs resounded on all sides as couriers 
 dashed away with orders to the different headquarters. I 
 felt a little lonesome when the long role beat from our 
 headquarters. In a short time all hands and the cook 
 (myself, on this occasion), were up and getting on equip 
 ments. The order came to be ready to march at day 
 break. 
 
 Everything was in confusion and uproar, but notwith 
 standing this I ate my peas and felt ready for anything. 
 
 Early in the morning of the 31st of May all was in readi 
 ness. The wagons were brought and orders given that 
 one man from each company should be detailed 
 to remain and see that everything was loaded. 
 The wagons were to remain until further orders. I was 
 detailed from my company. I saw that everything was 
 loaded. As I have said the wagons were to remain at 
 camp, for no one knew how the battle would end. I 
 thought I did but I did not. So my command took up 
 the line of march and left me in camp. 
 
 After the loading was finished, being under no orders, 
 we would have been excusbble in remaining, but not care- 
 ing to stay out of a fight simply because I could do so, I 
 determined to go on and risk my chances with the bal 
 ance. Accordingly, about 8 o clock, Wheeler Gilmore (who 
 
90 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 was detailed from another company), and myself started 
 alone to overtake our command. We came up with our 
 battalion in an old field, where they were leaving all the 
 baggage they had brought with them, preparatory to 
 going into action. The firing had already commenced but 
 a few hundred yards in our front. We joined our deci 
 mated company, and went on to receive at the very first 
 the deadliest fire any company of men ever received. 
 
 Remember hereafter that when I speak of our command 
 I mean Mattison s battalion, which is now a mere corpo 
 ral s guard. 
 
 We marched through a pine thicket, along a big road, 
 and then through an old field, and right in front of us was 
 a battery of nine cannon, supported by a considerable 
 force of infantry. They were but a few hundred yards in 
 advance of us, and immediately opened fire. Our numbers 
 being so small we made a flank movement to our left, mak 
 ing for a thick piece of woods that was but a short dis 
 tance away, as we thought we would be sheltered from the 
 storm of ball and shell which played havoc in our ranks. 
 
 We were every moment expecting reinforcements. I 
 knew they would come to our assistance soon, for I had 
 passed them on the road. 
 
 When we had gotten within thirty yards of the woods a 
 large force of the enemy, who were hidden in the under 
 brush, raised up as though springing out of the ground, 
 and poured among us the most destructive fire we have 
 yet experienced. Of my own company of ten or twelve 
 men George Driver was shot in the mouth and killed ; Judd 
 McLees, killed, shot in the head ; Wheeler Gilmore mortally 
 wounded, besides several others more or less injured. 
 Elijah Herring was slightly wounded and fatally scared. 
 Of the battalion Major Mattison was wounded, Captain 
 Griffin killed, Adjutants. S. Crittendon wounded, both the 
 Harlans wounded, and so many others killed and 
 wounded that I cannot at present give their names. 
 
 All this was done in less than ten minutes. When 
 Major Mattison fell some one called out "Retreat." My 
 Captain, D. L. Hall, and about ten others of my company 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 91 
 
 were all there were left of us. The other companies of the 
 battalion, what was left of them, remained, and we did 
 what shooting we could while laying on the ground 
 amongst our dead and wounded comrades. 
 
 It was but a short time before the expected reinforce 
 ment joined us, when we drove the enemy out of the woods 
 with considerable loss on their side. 
 
 By this side the fighting became hot on both sides and 
 In the centre, Longstreet s position, as usual. 
 
 I cannot convey an idea of the terrors of the next few 
 hours. As I said at the beginning of this letter, 
 
 The sulphur and smoke o ershadowed the earth, 
 And the cannon they did rattle. 
 
 We in the centre kept driving the enemy back slowly 
 until they got to their camp, where they made a bold 
 stand, but they could not stand the Southern charge. 
 They finally gave way and left all their camp equipage be 
 hind them. We followed them about a mile further, when 
 night came on and the slaughter ceased. We got a good 
 many cannon and small arms and a great many other 
 things unnecessary to mention. We took between five 
 hundred and one thousand prisoners, I am not certain of 
 the exact number. 
 
 Honesty compels me to say that the wings of the Fed 
 eral army did not give back as did the centre, and that 
 threw us into a crescent or horse shoe position, being in 
 advance of both wings of the Federal army, and on that 
 account alone. We came back that night to where the 
 fight commenced. 
 
 There was some firing on the Federal wings that night 
 and a few shots next morning, but the great fight of 
 Seven Pines was ended. 
 
 GeneralJohnston is badly wounded. I don t know as 
 yet who will succeed him, but it is said that it will be R. E. 
 Lee, of Virginia. I know but little about him. They say 
 he is a good general, but I doubt his being better than 
 Johnston or Longstreet. 
 
92 History of the Fourth Regiment, 
 
 This is the first fight we have had that our side made 
 the attack, and if this is a victory 1 never want to be in 
 a battle that is not a victory. 
 
 We got a great many provisions of all kinds in their 
 camps bacon, flour, sugar, coffee (already ground and 
 sweetened, and almost every other kind of dainty, besides 
 several barrels of whiskey, one of which had a bullet hole 
 in it, from which several of the men filled their canteens. 
 My old friend J. J. Pitts, when he had gotten himself and 
 his canteen both full, thought himself as rich as John 
 Jacob Astor. 
 
 Among other things I got, and by the way, not before I 
 needed it, was a hat, new for me, but somewhat frazzled 
 by its original owner. It fit me to a fraction. 
 
 Remember that, although this was a terrible fight, yet 
 it is by no means the great, decisive battle we have been 
 expecting. It is yet to come and assuredly will take place. 
 Yours as ever, J. W. TEID. 
 
 NOTE. My friend Wheeler Gilmore, who went with me that morn 
 ing, was mortally wounded at the beginning of the fight and died in a 
 few days. J. W. R. 
 
 NEAR RICHMOND, VA., June 3, 1862. I have only time 
 to write a few hurried lines. We are ordered to fix up to 
 move. This thing of fixing up has pretty well played 
 out with us, as we have gotten to a point where we have 
 nothing left to fix. I can be in readiness at any time in 
 five minutes. After receiving the order we may not go 
 to-day, but if we don t it is quite evident we will go soon. 
 We won t go very far, for I don t think we will evacuate 
 Richmond and go farther south. We can t go far the 
 other way, for there is a crowd out there that won t let us 
 pass without the countersign. (I mean McClelland and his 
 army.) We may not go far, but in all probability it will 
 be a rough road to travel. 
 
 I understand the enemy is landing below here in large 
 numbers. Hard times ahead of us. 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 93 
 
 Mr. J. J. Land is at Kichmond sick. He has sent for 
 me but I cannot get off. 
 
 I will now have to stop writing and do what little tixing 
 I have to do and be ready for the word. I will write a 
 line as often as I can. I know you feel anxious about me 
 at these trying times. I have still some cheerfulness, not 
 withstanding the threatening storm. This storm will surely 
 come, and it will be accompanied by heavy thunder. Try 
 to be cheerful. Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
 CAMP NEAR RICHMOND, VA., June 7, 1862. Well know 
 ing your anxiety for me, I will drop you a line as often as 
 I have the opportunity. Though surrounded by war, pes 
 tilence and dangers seen and unseen I am still untouched 
 and enjoying good health. How thankful I feel for the 
 almost miraculous escape of all these threatening dangers. 
 
 As stated in my letter of the 3d, our army expected to 
 move and this has been done. We are near Seven Pines 
 battlefield, about three miles from Richmond. It has been 
 raining almost ever since our coming, and we had to take 
 it as it came, having no other clothing except that on our 
 backs. Bird Phillips brought our blankets in a wagon from 
 the old camp. We are waiting for the ball to open. The 
 fight is certainly coming on, and it is the opinion both of 
 my superiors and inferiors that it will take at least three 
 days to decide it, and if this should be so I almost envy 
 the ticklish position occupied on one occasion by Jonah of 
 old. 
 
 To make it worse for us there is a great deal of sickness 
 in our army, and soldiers are dying at the hospital almost 
 daily. A man of my company, Rufus McLees, died at 
 Richmond on last Wednesday. He is the man I took 
 under my oilcloth one rainy night during the march from 
 Yorktown. His brother was killed at Seven Pines the 
 other day. They were good boys, the eons of Jeff McLees, 
 and well liked in the company. 
 
 Five of my company were carried to the hospital yestei 
 
94 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 day, namely, Warren McGee, J. J. Pitts, John Gordon, 
 Jim Lofton and Elijah Herring. Herring says a cannon 
 ball struck his musket at Seven Pines, and gave him ajar 
 he has not yet recovered from. If a cannon ball had 
 struck his gnn it would have jarred his soul out of his 
 body. 
 
 Mr. Land and Wheeler Gilmore send for me to go to 
 Richmond. I cannot go. John McClin ton is with Gilmore. 
 
 No more news at present. Yours as ever, 
 
 J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. McClinton remained with Gilmore until his death. 
 
 CAMP NEAR RICHMOND, YA., Sunday, June 15, 1862. All 
 cry and no wool, all talk and no fight. It really seems to 
 me that McClelland as well as some of our own generals 
 had better handle the spade than the sword. Both sides 
 are ditching every day. I think if we had fewer ditches 
 and more Stonewalls it would be better for us, though I d 
 rather dig ditches than to fight in them. I don t see the 
 sense of piling up earth to keep us apart. If we don t 
 get at each other sometime, when will the war end ? My 
 plan would be to quit ditching and go to fighting. 
 
 There will be no pleasure here or at home until the war 
 closes. More than this, the longer it lasts the larger the 
 war debt will be, the less able and the fewer of us there will 
 be to pay it. 
 
 The enemy is down in the river swamps, but I don t 
 think they will remain there long on account of sickness. 
 There is a great deal of it in both armies. We have, it is 
 said, about thirty thousand men at the various hospitals. 
 About one-third of my company is sick. This is the condi 
 tion of the other companies, indeed, or the entire army. 
 Can I be blamed for wanting to fight and end the matter? 
 
 I am quite well but for the fact that my shoe has rubbed 
 by heel until it is blistered and I have to wear a slipshod. 
 My heel has risen and is quite sore. I am excused from 
 duty on account of it, but if a fight comes up I will go into 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 95 
 
 it and let my heels take care of themselves unless it turns 
 out that my heels have to take care of me. 
 
 MONDAY MORNING, June 16. Nothing very important. 
 Day before yesterday evening- General J. E. B. Stuart, of 
 the cavalry, made a reconnoitre in the rear of the enemy. 
 He took about one hundred and fifty prisoners and about 
 two hundred horses and mules and a great many other 
 things, besides burning a train of three hundred wagons. 
 It is not known how many of the enemy were killed, but 
 his own loss is enormous, it being one man killed and two 
 wounded. The enemy has had Stuart surrounded three 
 times, but he has always cut his way out. 
 
 We were drawn out in line of battle yesterday, stacked 
 arms and were told to hold ourselves in readiness at a 
 moment s warning. That order is still in force. We had 
 another heavy rain yesterday, and that may stop active 
 operations for a day or two. 
 
 I hear considerable firing down toward the Chickahom- 
 iny. Perhaps it is only a picket fight, as they are quite 
 common. 
 
 I don t % apprehend a general engagement at present. 
 There is not enough stir going on for that. I can tell 
 pretty well when a battle is brewing; by the stir that is 
 made. There will be none to-day. 
 
 Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
 CAMP NEAR RICHMOND, VA., June 22, 1862. No very 
 alarming news. There is more or less firing going on all 
 the time along the line. There is not a great deal of dam 
 age done, however. 
 
 Day before yesterday a heavy firing was ^oing on for 
 several hours over toward Seven Pines. Orders were ex 
 pected every moment for us to march, but no orders came. 
 I asked leave of my officers to go and see what it meant. 
 They gave me permission to go, and a caution to look out 
 for No. 1. In fact, the officers were as anxious to know 
 what was going on as I was. 
 
96 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 I went about three-fourths of a mile and met a Colonel 
 Somebody wounded. I asked him if he thought a gen 
 eral engagement was likely to come on. He said, "No ; it 
 is only a picket fight, but I am painfully wounded." I 
 went a little further, but saw so many being carried off 
 wounded that I concluded it best to return to the com 
 mand, where I described what I had seen and heard. All 
 were interested and crowded around me, evidently appre 
 ciating what I had done. 
 
 It was curious to see that the lame walked, and the sick 
 were suddenly and miraculously made well as soon as I 
 reported it not a general engagement. It is well known 
 that heavy firing will create alarming symptoms in dysen 
 tery and other complaints. 
 
 Perhaps it would be interesting to know the current 
 prices here for some articles in general use. Coffee is |2 
 per pound ; sugar, 50 cents ; molases, per quart, $1 ; 
 chickens (the size of a robin), |1 apiece ; eggs, per dozen, 
 $1 ; butter (some of it old enough to stand alone for its 
 rights), $1.25 ; little fruit pies the size of the palm of my 
 hand, 25 cents. I could at this moment eat $5 worth of 
 them. If J. J. Astor had to feed me on these dainties for 
 twelve months at the present price, he would be bankrupt. 
 
 Yesterday I bought a loaf of bread for twenty-five cents, 
 but it was hollow, and, though as big as my head, would 
 not have weighed two ounces. I gave part of it to John 
 McClinton and Warren McGee, because they were sick. 
 
 Then Tom came to me with a long face and said : 
 
 "Mr. Reid, I feel dreadful bad to-day, and I wish, if you 
 please, you would give me a piece of that pone. " He 
 really looked as though he had come from the valley and 
 shadows of death. I said, "Torn, you old hog, go to my 
 haversack and get it all. He accordingly went and 
 took about half. There was nothing the matter with him, 
 though he can look like a ghost whenever he chooses. 
 
 Mrs. Land sent me word she would kill a goat when Joe 
 and I got home, and as Joe can t come she can kill half of 
 one for me and the other half when Joe does come. 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 97 
 
 MONDAY MORNING, June 23d. A good deal of stirring 
 this morning. Before this reaches you the ball may be 
 opened. If so, I will send you a line as often as 1 have 
 the opportunity. I feel confident from personal observa 
 tion that the decisive moment has arrived. In a few days 
 how many of us may be in eternity who are alive and well 
 to-day. Who will it be? God alone knows. May the God 
 of Abraham and Isaac, the God of Jacob and of all man 
 kind, be with you and with us all. Take anything that 
 happens as easily as you can. 
 
 Yours as ever, J. W. KEID. 
 
 ON A HALT, NEAR RICHMOND, VA., June 26, 1862. In my 
 last letter I said that a battle was coming on. This morn 
 ing at an early hour our entire army was in motion, some 
 going in one direction, some in another. Longetreet s di 
 vision, to which I belong, marched some six or seven miles, 
 toward the upper part of Richmond, and halted about 
 two miles from the city, where it still remains, awaiting 
 orders. 
 
 It is about a mile to the Chickahominy, and the en 
 tire Federal army of about 200,000 men, are on the other 
 side of the river. 
 
 We have a large army, which is being placed in position. 
 There are some troops a little in advance of us, but I sup 
 pose our body will soon join them. We expect every mo 
 ment to hear from them. Will await further operations. 
 
 FOUR O CLOCK P. M. A circular has just been read to us 
 announcing that Stonewall Jackson is in the rear of the 
 enemy s right wing. I have just heard General Anderson 
 say that he did not know why the attack had not been 
 made, as the time appointed for it had passed. 
 
 LATER. Thank God, I hear the roar of Jackson s artil- 
 ery. That he is there is an indisputable fact, the evidence 
 of which is a heavy cannonading. 
 
98 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 A FEW MINUTES LATER. Firing has commenced just in 
 our front, said to be from Hill s division. 
 
 We are ordered to prepare for action. Marching orders t 
 We march to the front. Good-bye. J. W. REID. 
 
 BATTLEFIELD NEAR MECHANICSVILLE, VA., V 
 3 o clock P. M., June 27, 1862. j 
 
 We were ordered to the front, the firing still going on in 
 advance qf us, and over in the direction of York river, 
 where Jackson opened the fight. The York river is still 
 further on, rather to the left of our front. 
 
 By the time we reached the Chickahominy river (a creek 
 up here), it was night, and very dark. We were halted 
 about the time I reached the middle of the bridge by 
 which we crossed the stream. We remained standing for 
 some time, when orders came to rest where we were until 
 further orders, for us to remain with our equipments on 
 and arms in hand. 
 
 I made my way over the bridge and lay down on a beau 
 tiful sand bar by the river. I fell asleep, and for a time 
 forgot I was a soldier on a battle field. Very early in the 
 morning I was aroused by the familiar boom of cannon 
 and rattle of musketry. I was nearly frozen, for the damp 
 sand had chilled me through. 
 
 We took up the line of march, and were soon engaged. 
 
 All day the fight has been going on along our lines. 
 
 Jackson is still in the direction of the York river, from 
 which he is trying to keep the enemy, who have gradually 
 given back, but they have disputed every inch of the 
 ground. The place where we commenced is called Mechan- 
 icsville. 
 
 I cannot convey an idea of the awful confusion and strife 
 going on at this moment. Marehiug orders. 
 
 Six O CLOCK P. M. Still among the living, though I 
 am here only through the blessing of the great God. 
 We have gone through an awful day. 
 Many of my companions in arms are killed and wounded 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 99 
 
 and I am now among the living atid the dead writing 
 these lines to you. I hope we are halted for the 
 night. I cannot give a list of the killed and wounded 
 among your acquaintances. But what you desire most to 
 know is, is Jesse alive ? He answers "Yes." 
 
 BATTLEFIELD, 2 O clock, P. M., June 28. Still among the 
 living, though surrounded by dead. To-day it seems that 
 if Vesuvius and yEtna were in eruption with their awful 
 rumbling and belching out burning lava streams of death 
 and destruction it could not exceed the uproar and ter 
 rors which transpired here since the battle opened this 
 morning. 
 
 I shall not attempt a description. Four hundred thous 
 and men engaged in the work of extermination ; the noise 
 of the battle, the cries of the vvounded, the groans of the 
 dying cannot be described on paper. 4-nd all this is going 
 on aground me. 
 
 ; Our command is resting a little. I presume tha>t every 
 .ambulance in the army is flying to and fro carrying the 
 wounded to Bichmond. Then many from the , city are 
 helping in the same work, and are removing the suffering 
 iat this moment. Many brave men have fallen to-day. 
 The gaping, bleeding wounds of the wounded and dying 
 .are pitiful,; but not more heartrending than will be the 
 agony of breaking hearts at home. 
 
 Marching orders. Hope for the best. 
 
 JUST BEFORE SUNSET. We are slowly but surely driving 
 the enemy before us, but it is costing us a great deal to 
 do so. They give back in good order and often turn .on 
 us and give us as good as we send. We are now seve ral 
 L miles below Mechanics ville, at which place the ball opened. 
 
 I don t know under what name these several battles win 
 [ be know ; it should be, Legion ! For they are many in 
 number and the end is not ^et. 
 
 As it irs now nearly dark I shall have to close this letter. 
 I will send it by wagon to Richmond. [ will commence 
 another to-morrow, if spared. Captain Hall says I am 
 bullet proof. I hope it may be so. Be cheerful. 
 
 Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
100 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 BATTLEFIELD BELOW RICHMOND, June 29, 1862. Still 
 alive to tell of the state of affairs among us. To give a 
 description of the fighting now going on would be a repe 
 tition of what I have previously written. Each day is an 
 echo of the one preceding it. Death and destruction on all 
 sides and no cessation of hostilities. 
 
 We march and fight all day and sleep on our arms at 
 night. The enemy is slowly giving back and we are get 
 ting them down into the peninsular, where the rivers are 
 not so far apart. It is said that Jackson is keeping them 
 from the York river. Their only chance that I can see is to 
 take to their boats on the James river, which I suppose 
 they will soon be compelled to do. If we had a navy on 
 the river we would get them about the same place Lord 
 Cornwallis surrendered to Washington. 
 
 We march again. 
 
 JUNE 30TH. Still marching and fighting. The earth is 
 fairly shaking and the heavens are darkened with smoke. 
 
 When, O, when will it end ? 
 
 There is no firing immediately in our front just now, but 
 I am momentarily expecting it. It cannot last much 
 longer, but alas, the lives that will be lost before the close. 
 
 McClelland will soon have to surrender or take water. 
 Marching orders. 
 
 JULY IST. Longstreet s division has sustained such 
 heavy losses in this protracted struggle that they are not 
 doing much fighting. 
 
 The enemy are still falling back in good order, fighting 
 as they go. They undoubtedly cannot hold out much 
 longer. 
 
 It is now getting dark and dismal. I will lie down 
 among the dead and wounded and get what rest I can. 
 Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 101 
 
 JULY 2D, 5 O clock p. M. 
 
 Now the rage of battle ended. 
 
 And the foe for mercy call, 
 Death no more in smoke and thnnder 
 
 Rides upon the vengeful ball. 
 
 The greatest battle of the age is over and I am spared to 
 write you. The enemy have made, it is thought, their last 
 but boldest stand. It was the most obstinate and terri 
 ble battle yet fought. There are hundreds of dead bodies 
 all over the field. At one place where the enemy had a 
 battery there are hundreds of dead bodies on a plot of 
 ground no larger than a small garden. When the charge 
 was made on this battery the enemy poured a very destruc 
 tive fire of grape and canister among us, killing a great 
 many. No stop ; the charge was made, the battery taken, 
 the enemy dispersed. Hundreds of them were killed in 
 trying to make their escape. 
 
 It is thought the fight is over. The enemy have taken 
 shelter in some white oak swamps, and I think by morn 
 ing they will be in their vessels homeward bound. 
 
 Mattison s battalion has lost in killed and wounded 
 about half of what few men we had at the beginning of the 
 fight. To have seen the glorious old Fourth regiment one 
 year ago, and to see it now, one would naturally cry out, 
 "0, cruel, cruel war, what mischief thou hast done I Fare 
 well, Fourth regiment; farewell, Mattison s battalion !" 
 
 Mr. Phillips is safe, with the wagons. Joe Land was alive 
 yesterday ; Willis Dixon unhurt ; Eiley Burress killed ; 
 Silas Crow killed ; Thomas Stacks wounded ; Lieutenant 
 S. P. Haynie, mortally wounded ; Sam Couch wounded ; 
 James Lofton, badly wounded; James Skelton, wounded in 
 the head, and will die ; Matthew Cox and both the Winter 
 boys wounded I cannot give the names of all our neigh 
 bors and friends who are killed or wounded. Their names 
 are Legion, for they are many. 
 
 Let this letter be read to all the neighbors. I will close 
 in the morning. 
 
102 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 JULY 3D, 7 O CLOCK A. M. I have a chance of sending this 
 letter forward for we are twenty-five miles below Richmond, 
 and the enemy is out of our Way. I don t think you need 
 be at all uneasy about my being in another fight before 
 my time is out again. I think what we have just gone 
 through will satisfy all parties concerned, at least for a 
 while. 
 
 I feel both happy and sad. Happy because I am safe, 
 but sad and sorrowful that so many of my companions 
 are dead whom I have known for a long time. I grieve 
 that Mattison s battalion is no more. 
 
 Yours as ever, J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. Among the wounded men who died of their wounds were 
 S. P. Haynie, James Skelton, John Manning, Robert McClinton and 
 many others of my acquaintance. J. W. R. 
 
 : CAMP NEAR RICHMOND, VA.; July II, 1862. After I had 
 finished my letter of the 3d there was little more done. 
 We followed the enemy a mile or two further but no stand 
 was made after the bold stand of which I have already 
 told you". They had taken to their vessels and departed, 
 leaving thousands of their army on the field. Our army 
 has also lost thousands, among the number brave Major 
 Wheat, a gallant soldier. He was wounded in the chest, 
 and as he fell, mortally wounded, he cried out, "Bury me 
 on the field, boys." We complied with his request, and 
 buried him where he fell. 
 
 I cannot give you a list of killed and wounded among 
 our acquaintances. It would take several sheets of fools 
 cap paper. For about twenty-five miles the ground is 
 literally strewn with dead bodies. When or where has it 
 ever been equalled? Certainly not in any of Napoelon Bona 
 parte s great battles. 
 
 After following the enemy as far as we thought neces 
 sary, and waiting until we were certain they had gone, as- 
 certaining that fact, we began on the 8th our march back 
 toward Richmond. We got back to our old camp yester 
 day and are occupying the same ground we dicl before the 
 battle began. 
 
South Carolina, Volunteers. 103 
 
 A sadness pervades the army. How many of our brave 
 comrades, who left this place to the call of battle, have 
 gone to a bourne from whence none return. When I 
 think of the heartrending wailing of the mothers, wid 
 ows and orphans at home a tear unconsciously trickles 
 down my cheek. Everything here is as still as a grave 
 yard. Not one amongst us but has lost a dear relative or 
 friend in this great struggle. There has been such noise 
 and confusion of late that the stillness reminds me of a 
 cotton factory when it suddenly shuts down. Still, still 
 as death. The weight of dreadful silence is almost as ter 
 rorizing as the battle itself. 
 
 A great many of our wounded are dying, as are men 
 daily dying from sickness also. I can truthfully say that 
 this is a time that tries men s souls. 
 
 I said in a former letter, "Farewell, Fourth regiment, 
 farewell, Ma-ttison s battalion." I must also add, "Fare 
 well, Wheat s battalion." It has been with us so long and 
 in so many dark places. It is gone like our own glorious 
 old Fourth. What few there are left of both battalions 
 will hereafter go into other commands. In fact we were 
 attached to another regiment during the fight just ended. 
 
 And now, in a few days, if justice is done, I will bid fare 
 well to my comrades in arms (except the few who are to 
 come with me), and come home to those who are still 
 dearer to my heart than the comrades I will leave behind, 
 than those who have staid with me through scenes I can 
 not describe. 
 
 This is the last letter I will send you from Northern Vir 
 ginia, if all things work as they should, and I think there 
 is no doubt of their doing so. 
 
 I forgot to mention that General R. E. Lee was in corn- 
 was during the reign of terror just past. He is all 
 is all right. He led us to victory. He is a chip of the old 
 block or blocks, Richard Henry Lee and "Lighthorse" 
 Harry Lee, of Revolutionary days. 
 
 1 know of but one bad move made by any of our officers, 
 and that was by a Colonel, whose name I shall not men 
 tion, who, in making a charge, took his men up in column 
 
104 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 by companies or divisions, that is, one company behind 
 another, when they should have been scattered as much as 
 possible. They were torn all to pieces. It was not from a 
 want of bravery on the part of the Colonel, but of good 
 tactics 
 
 I will new close this long letter. I remain yours as 
 ever, J. W. REID. 
 
 NOTE. The letter dated July n, 1862, was the last one I wrote before 
 going home. After finishing my letter I began making preparations. 
 We had our discharges written and signed by the officers of the battal 
 ion, and they were then sent up to General Jenkins for his signature. 
 They remained there a day or two after our time was out. None of our 
 officers would go up to see about our discharges. Finally, all met who 
 were going home, and it was put upon me to go to General Jenkins 
 and ascertain, if possible, the cause of delay. I went, and he said that 
 he had never seen our discharges, but that he would sign them on 
 sight. We hunted among a quantity of other papers and finally found 
 them. He immediately signed all of them but one. If I had not gone 
 to him I cannot say how it would have been. Whoever had taken them 
 there had laid them or thrown them down, and had not seen the gen 
 eral at all. The next morning I gave my comrades a sad farewell, and 
 I left the lines and tented field 
 
 Where long I d been a lodger ; 
 My humble knapsack all my wealth, 
 
 A poor but honest soldier. 
 
 In Richmond they would not recognize our discharges, because, they 
 said, the discharges were not rightly signed. It was a long time before 
 the authorities would tell us in what the orders were wrong. At length 
 we were told that where General Jenkins had said, "By order of," he 
 should have said "Approved by." I immediately wrote a note to Gen 
 eral Jenkins and sent it backabyjmes Dickinson, informing him of his 
 mistake. When Dickinson got to camp the General was not present, 
 but Colonel Moore was acting in his place. He fixed them all right, and 
 also signed the one that Jenkins had refused, not knowing it had been 
 refused. It was late in the following day when Dickinson returned. 
 When he did return the man whose Discharge Jenkins had refused to 
 sign was with him, and he was the happiest man outside of Paradise. 
 There had been a misunderstanding as to his age. He told us he was 
 truly glad the General had signed our discharges wrong. So we were 
 delayed in Richmond two days but finally got off on the i6th, and on 
 the i8th, late in the night, I reached home. 
 
 Ah, the joy, the inexpressible joy of that moment can better be im 
 agined than described. Little did I think then that I would soon be on 
 the Virginia battlefield again, but such was nevertheless the case, as 
 you will hereafter see. On Old Virginia soil you shall hear of me 
 again. J. W. R. 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 105 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 When the infernal Conscript Act was amended, taking in 
 all those under forty-five 3^ears of age, then it was that I 
 could truthfully sing, "0, carry me back, O, carry ine back 
 to Old Virginia s shore." But before entering into an ac 
 count of my services as an engineer, I will remark that I 
 cannot give the exact dates of passing events as I did when 
 in the Fourth regiment, as my letters of this period can 
 not be found. In 1863, when it became evident that I 
 would have to face the music again, I put it off as long as 
 possible, and, when I saw that I could stay at home no 
 lunger, I put on my equipments and ordered a forward 
 march in single file, guide right. 
 
 At this time there was a regiment at Charleston, S. C., 
 composed of the grand daddies of the State, in the State 
 service, taken in for six months. At this time there 
 was one of these antedeluvians at home on a furlough, 
 who made a bargain with my son, W. Irving Reid, then 
 about fifteen years old, to go to Charleston in his place, 
 so it happened that we both left home at the same time. 
 
 I will not attempt a description of the heartrending 
 scene at our separation. The father and son, the only 
 child, start to war at the same time. Ye matrons, remem 
 ber what the women of those times endured. My own 
 dear companion gave up her husband and her only child, 
 all that she held dear upon earth, and was left alone. 
 Remember those trying times, remember the women s 
 fortitude. 
 
 It was my intention, when I left home of again joining 
 Longstreet s command, who at this time was in command 
 of an entire army corps. It was my intention to go into 
 the Sixteenth South Carolina regiment, in which I had a 
 great many friends. It was made up mostly from Green 
 ville county, and was commanded by Colonel James Mc- 
 Cullough, with whom I am well acquainted. I had mus- 
 
106 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 tered often with the regiment at Toney s old field. near- 
 Fork Shoals, in Greenville county. When I reached Co 
 lumbia I was informed that the whereabouts of Longstreet 
 was unknown, and that I would have to remain at the 
 camp of instruction (destruction, the boys called it), until 
 Longstreet could be heard from. Accordingly, I went on 
 to the camp after night, my son going; with me. I was 
 soon enrolled as a member of the camp of instruction, and 
 it took all the oratory I could command to keep them 
 from enrolling Irving also. I told them I would send him 
 back home before they should enroll his name there. They 
 asked me if I was willing to swear that he was under the 
 conscript age. I told them I was willing to swear to it, 
 and I am not certain but what I did sware a little, though 
 not on Holy writ. Next morning I saw him off for Charles 
 ton. Conjecture my feelings, ye fathers in Israel, when I 
 saw the last tie upon earth (except those I had already 
 left), leave me to go to one portion of the war and I to 
 another. One thing I well knew, that notwithstanding he 
 was nothing but a boy, he was as brave as Csesar, and 
 that his heart was about the biggest thing about him. 
 The only thing I dreaded in him was insubordination, for 
 he always wanted his own way. 
 
 When the cars sped away with my only child, bound for 
 the scenes of conflict, my feelings cannot be described on 
 paper. I did not expect at that time to see him again on 
 earth. The sequel will show that I was mistaken. 
 
 As I walked back through Columbia, who should I meet, 
 right opposite the State house, but Major Mattison, whose 
 wound, received at Seven Pines, was partially well. He 
 was now a member of the legislature. We talked over old 
 times for a while and then separated, he for the State 
 house and I for the camp of instruction. 
 
 I will state for the information of those who have no 
 knowledge of this institution, that this camp of instruc 
 tion (although, for my life I can t see what instruction was 
 given there), was where all the men of the State subject to 
 conscription were sent previous to going into the army. 
 Most of these men had never been in service, and to say 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 107 
 
 the truth, the greater .part were unfit for it. The lame, the 
 halt,the blind were taken there and examined by doctors, 
 some of whom could not have told what was the matter 
 with a man broken out with measles, and if a person 
 could walk a dozen steps without falling or fainting they 
 were pronounced able for duty. Sometimes it would be 
 for light duty, but I have never yet found what light duty 
 is to acommou soldier. Light places there are, but not for 
 a private soldier. In all my knowledge of military duty, 
 military tactics and army regulations, I have failed yet 
 to find light duty for a private soldier. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 At the time of which I am speaking, the men carried to 
 the camp of instruction were allowed to go into any part 
 of the army they chose, and that being the case, there 
 were recruiting officers there from all parts and all 
 branches of the service. Those Avho did not go with the 
 recruiting officer were sent to whatever part of the service 
 they were thought to be needed the most, under a guard, 
 and for that reason most of the men would join a recruit 
 ing officer rather than be sent off under a guard. A day 
 or two after I got to camp Lieutenant R. P. C. Rumbough, 
 a recruiting officer for the First Regiment of Engineers, 
 came to camp trying to get recruits. He came several 
 times (his office was in Columbia), but got no recruits, 
 the men a,s a general thing not knowing anything of that 
 kind of service. One day when Rumbough was absent I 
 told several of the men the duties of the engineer troop, 
 and told them I thought it a good place. By my recom 
 mendation of the service, several of the men concluded to 
 join the engineers. When Rumbough came back to camp. 
 I informed him of what I had done. He then gave me 
 power of attorney to recruit for him. From this time on 
 I was king of the camp of instruction. It was soon known 
 all over camp that I had heard it thunder. I could fre 
 quently overhear such remarks as, "He war in the big Ma- 
 
108 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 nassy fight under Stonewall Thompson." "No, he told 
 me," says another, "outen his own mouth that he fit under 
 old Bonyguard," " And I understand," said another, "that 
 he was with Washington at Williamsburg," "Yes, and he 
 was with Bonyparte at the battle of Seven Long Leaf 
 Pines," but to clap the climax oilman declared that I had 
 been an aid de camp to Julius Caesar at the big seven 
 day s fight around Babylon! 
 
 It was but a few days until I had sixteen men on my 
 list. Lieutenant Rum bough came to me and wanted to 
 know why I could not go with them to Virginia. I stated 
 to him my reasons for wanting to goto Longstreet s com 
 mand. He then offered to temporarily appoint me ser 
 geant to go with the men, rather than for them to go 
 under a guard, also offering to recommend me to Colonel 
 T. M. R. Talcott, asking him to approve the appointment 
 and let me remain as a sergeant. With the persuasion of 
 Rum bough and the men whom I had gotten, I finally con 
 sented to go, with the understanding that if Colonel Tal 
 cott did not approve my appointment I was not to be 
 considered as belonging to the regiment, and was to have 
 the liberty of going in any part of the service I chose. All 
 commissioned engineer officers are examined by a board 
 of engineers and appointed by them. All non-commis 
 sioned officers are examined by the colonel and appointed 
 by him. They must all understand something about en 
 gineering. The commissioned officers must all be engin 
 eers practically. A sergeant in the engineers is about 
 equal in rank to a lieutenant in the infantry. They 
 carry a sword and do the same duties as a lieutenant and 
 receive about the same pay. So the arrangement was 
 made and we left Columbia for Richmond, Va., where Col 
 onel Talcott s head quarter s were. When we reached Ches 
 ter the train stopped for dinner, and my men asked leave to 
 get out and walk about a little. I gave them permission to 
 do so, but when the whistle blew and the train started one 
 of the men named Wells was missing. He had gone on up 
 to York, where he lived. He had, just before leaving Co 
 lumbia, received a box of provisions from home, which had 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 109 
 
 not been opened. When I found out that Wells was cer 
 tainly gone I was glad of it, for I had much rather have 
 the box than to have Wells. So I opened the same and 
 found hams, pies, pound cake, butter and all sorts of good 
 ies. I divided it out exactly equal, giving myself a little 
 the most, and so we fared sumptuously every day w r hile it- 
 lasted. After traveling three days and nights, and being 
 "scroughed" nearly out of our hides, we finally reached 
 Richmond, to which I once thought I had bidden a final fare 
 well. Human calculations are nothing but folly. I took 
 my men to the Soldiers Home, where we remained all 
 night. Next morning (Sunday) I hunted Colonel Talcott s 
 headquarters. He was gone to church. In the evening I 
 took Joel Crisp of Laurens county, with me, knowing him 
 to be a good talker, and found Colonel Talcott at his head 
 quarters. He seemed to scrutinize me pretty closely, but 
 I tried to look as big as Watch and as brave as Ashmore s 
 old hare-liped Csezar, but I did not say much for fear of 
 saying something that would knock me into a cocked hat. 
 But seriously, I thought that the Colonel was forming a 
 pretty good opinion of me, from the way he talked. He 
 told me to take the men up to Camp Lee and turn them 
 over to Lieutenant Young, until they could be regularly 
 assigned over to the engineer regiment, but for me to go 
 myself on Monday morning to the engineers camp and 
 form the acquaintance of Captain Robinson, as I would 
 have to be recommended by him before I could be 
 regularly appointed a sergeant, according to army regu 
 lations. I did as directed, but I felt as though I was about 
 to be run through a flint mill. On Monday morn ing I put 
 qn as sanctimonious a look as possible, took Crisp with 
 me again to help me talk, and went to Captain Robinson. 
 As strange as it may seem, I had a chance to tell him who 
 I was before Crisp said anything. Crisp then commenced 
 and gave me a reputation that General Washington him 
 self would almost envy. Oh, I tell you, he read my title 
 clear to mansions in the army. I soon found that all was 
 right with Captain Robinson, so far as I was concerned, 
 but from his talk and looks I did not think he was glued 
 
110 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 very fast to Crisp. He recommended me to Colonel Tal- 
 cott as being worthy of the appointment. 
 
 CHAPTER TIL 
 
 I was, in a day or two afterwards r regularly appointed a 
 sergeant in Company K, First Regiment Engineer Troops, 
 and was given a written commission, which I have yet. 
 My pay was f 45 per month. The colonel then appointed me 
 a recruiting officer, and started me back to South Carolina, 
 to my joy. The colonel said that Rumbough had inform 
 ed him that I was a much better hand at recruiting than 
 he was himself. I was already a ware of that fact, but had 
 not said so. Crisphad. It may be possible they thought 
 me a better recruiting officer than I would be as an en 
 gineer officer. Be that as it may, I was now both, but I 
 found out afterwards that the duties I had to perform al 
 ways gave satisfaction. As above stated I was sent 
 back to South Carolina, no time being mentioned when I 
 was to return. My trip back to South Carolina and my 
 recruiting .business is of little importance to the reader 
 of to-day. I will therefore state that I went to the carnp 
 of instruction at Columbia and recruited a day or tw^o. I 
 got two or three recruits, with w r hom I left some papers 
 authorizing them to recruit for me in my absence, and went 
 home. While at home I took a trip to Greenville and 
 other places, getting all the recruits I could. After re 
 maining at home about three weeks, I again bid my wife 
 good-bye and started for Old Virginia. When I ar 
 rived at Columbia I found I had twenty-one recruits, in all, 
 for my regiment. I had taken sixteen men before, 
 Wells included. I soon got transportation for us all, and 
 rolled off for Virginia. We got to Richmond one evening, 
 and that same night Colonel Talcott fixed up my papers 
 and the next day started me back again for South Caro 
 lina. I had remained in Richmond only one night. 
 
 When I got to Columbia I felt like a bag of cucumbers, 
 well shaken up. Never was I so tired riding in my life. 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. Ill 
 
 The cars were always crowded almost to suffocation, and 
 a great deal of the time I was obliged to stand up. I had 
 {slept scarcely 7 twelve hours in the entire week. When I 
 reached Columbia I found that the regiment of grand- 
 daddies, whom 1 have already mentioned, would be in Co 
 lumbia that night, homeward bound, their time being out. 
 I knew that my son Irving, if living, would be with them, 
 and I also knew that according to the last amendment of 
 the Conscript Act, many of them would have to go into 
 the Confederate service again in thirty days, being allowed 
 that length of time to remain at home. This was a good 
 chance for me as a recruiting officer, if I could get off with 
 the regiment in the morning. I almost ran to the camp 
 of instruction, left some recruiting papers with some of 
 the men there, ran back to Columbia, had my transporta 
 tion papers fixed up, but not at business hours ; it was done 
 for accommodation. 
 
 I got everything in readiness to start with the antede- 
 luvian regiment next morning. I then turned out to hunt 
 up Irving, for they had gotten in by this time. I found 
 my old brother-in-law, J. J. Lewis, who told me that Ir 
 ving was along, but had gone, he supposed, up town. I 
 hunted around for some time and found everybody but 
 Irving, but could find nothing of him. I then gave up the 
 job. It was now after midnight. I think the boy must 
 have been taking a census of the town, as I could hear of no 
 place he had not just left. Next morning, however, I found 
 him quite early, close to where we had parted some time 
 before. And we went home together after going off to 
 gether quite a curious coincidence. 
 
 I got a good many recruits out of that regiment, and 
 after visiting Greenville again and remaining about home 
 for over five weeks, I again set out for Columbia. The 
 reason I remained so long w T as that the men I was recruit 
 ing were allowed thirty days before they were compelled to 
 enter the service again, and accordingly I had to wait for 
 them. I had written to my superiors and informed them 
 of affairs, and received instructions to wait for the men. 
 
 I expect the reader thinks I am getting rather far off 
 
112 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 from the war. Never mind ; we ll get there time enough for 
 me. I don t know how it may be with you, but if you will 
 follow me for awhile you will soon find stirring times. 
 Bear in mind that I am not writing a history of the war, 
 but merely what came under my personal observation. 
 
 I again bade my family adieu and started to Columbia. 
 When I arrived at the camp of instruction I found I had 
 twenty-five recruits. I immediately made necessary ar 
 rangements and again (for the last time, as it happened), 
 set out for Virginia. On this trip an incident or two oc- 
 cnrred which I will relate as briefly as possible. 
 
 When we reached Weldoii, in North Carolina, we found 
 everything in confusion. The enemy had made a dash up 
 the river, and the Weldonites were panic stricken, thinking 
 they would be attacked. They were stopping all Kich- 
 mond-bound trains, and were pressing the men in to go 
 down the river and keep the enemy back. As I have 
 before stated, I had twenty-five men with me who would 
 do anything I told them. Some of them seemed to look 
 on me as the commander-in-chief of the Confederate army. 
 When I was told to take my men and go down the river 
 there were about forty other soldiers in the coach who 
 agreed to stand by me. It was night and I refused to go. 
 They threatened force. 1 said, "Where are the arms we 
 are to use?" "There are none here," they replied, "but 
 perhaps some can be gotten down there." When I found 
 they had no arms I felt better. I replied that I could find 
 arms and equipments a d d sight nearer than that, and 
 if they undertook to force us that I would produce them 
 and sixty or seventy men to use them, and they would be 
 used for any purpose I would propose. 
 
 They retreated in good order, thinking we had a box of 
 guns with us. 
 
 During this melee some of my men s eyes looked a good 
 deal like dogwood blossoms, but still they would have 
 stuck to me especially if I had run, which I would -surely 
 have done before I would have gone down the river in the 
 dark without arms. We remained in the coach all night, 
 and next morning chartered an old freight car and just 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 113 
 
 about forced an engineer to take us on to Petersburg. 
 Just before we started, a little bow-legged dude of an offi 
 cer told me that he would report me to General Lee. I 
 told him to go to his daddies I would report at head 
 quarters myself to-morrow, and so I did, but I did not re 
 port this movement. 
 
 We got to Petersburg in the evening, and had to remain 
 until 9 o clock in the night, waiting for a train. I had 
 gotten my men all in one coach with a good many others, 
 A good looking soldier came in and took a seat at a win 
 dow near me. He had been there but a few moments when 
 a negro boy come to the window and said : "Boss, I want 
 dat quarter you owes me." The man replied, "I don t 
 owe you anything," but the boy still contended for the 
 quarter "dat you owes me." At length, finding that he 
 could not collect "dat quarter," he jerked off the man s 
 hat arid ran off through the dark with it. The man struck 
 out in the dark after him. 
 
 Being gone some time he returned with a hat. He had 
 occupied his seat but a short time when an old negro man 
 came to the door of the car and said, "Mister, I wants my 
 hat." The man said that he knew nothing of his hat, and 
 finally after a long argument, the negro said, "I ll go 
 fotch de p lice." When he got off the car the man said, 
 "Boys, we are all soldiers together. What shall I do?" I 
 will admit that, honest as I try to be, 1 was sorry for him. 
 I happened to spy a torn place in the cloth lining of the 
 coach overhead. I gave the man a wink and pointed to 
 the rent. In an instant the hat was in it, and soon the 
 policeman came. He was shown the man but could not 
 find the hat. A few minutes later the train moved off for 
 Richmond, to the great joy of the hat man. As soon as 
 the train had fairly started he came to me and said: 
 "What would become of me if you had not shown me that 
 hole ?" He then asked me if I ever drank anything. I an 
 swered in the affirmative. He said I should have what I 
 wanted when we got to Richmond. He was as good as his 
 word. He looked and talked live a gentleman, although 
 he had not acted so. 
 
114: History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 When we reached the city I soon bid the hat man adieu 
 arid took my men to the Soldiers Home again, and re 
 mained all night. 
 
 Next morning I reported to Colonel Talcott, and the 
 men and myself were all assigned over to the First regi 
 ment of engineer troops, myself to Company K, com 
 manded by Captain G. VV. Kobinson. T. M. K. Talcott 
 was colonel, Blackford, lieutenant-colonel, Ran 
 dolph, major ; or those were the field officers after we were 
 regularly organized, but at the time I am now writing I 
 think Talcott was only lieutenant-colonel. 
 
 I will now run over the balance of the companies in Vir 
 ginia as briefly as I can. By this time our army had 
 fallen back from Maryland and Pennsylvania with the 
 enemy at their heels. About the operations carried on 
 there I shall have nothing to say, as I was not with the 
 army at the time. Vicksburg had also been taken, and 
 everything began to look dark on our side. It did not 
 take a Solomon to foresee how things would end. Our 
 circulating medium, Confederate money, was worthless. 
 We were scarce of all kinds of supplies, and more than all 
 we were short of men, and what few we had were becom 
 ing disheartened. Therefore it was an easy thing to see 
 how the matter would naturally go. This was the condi 
 tion of things when I again took up my abode in Virginia. 
 
 By this time a law had been enacted forbidding any more 
 recruiting, as the men coming into the service must be as 
 signed to whatever part of the service they were most 
 needed. Therefore I did not go recruiting again, but re 
 mained with the army until I went home to stay, of which 
 event 1 will inform you in due time. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 It was now about January, 1864. Our regiment re 
 mained in camp near Richmond about three months, 
 doing but little duty of any kind. While we were in camp 
 Dahlgren made his famous raid into Richmond, from which 
 
South Carolina, Volunteers. 115 
 
 lie never returned. When this attack was made the City 
 Guards of Richmond were taken away for a few days and 
 rny regiment had to guard the prisoners on Belle Isle in 
 their place. My company and another company of 
 the regiment were sent one day on guard. It was uncom 
 monly cold weather, and several men died from the effect 
 of cold taken there. Two of the men who had gone with 
 me there died with something like brain fever, Louis-Mar- 
 tin, of Anderson, and Meadows, of Spartanburg, 
 
 One day just after this I was officer of the guard at 
 camp. Jus.t at night a man was brought to the guard 
 house for going to Richmond and staying several days 
 without leave of absence. I got orders to buck him all 
 night and make him dig up a stump the next morning. 
 After he was bucked awhile he begged me so hard to un 
 loose him that I did so, the guard all promising not to re 
 port me for it. Next morning I put him to digging or 
 rather scratching up a stump. It was raining heavily. I 
 went to the officer of the day and told him it was as bad 
 on the men guarding him as on the prisoner, and that he 
 knew no more about digging than a child. The officer 
 told me to let him off, and I did so. He was an Italian. 
 
 Nothing of importance happened with us after this Ital 
 ian affair. A pig could have rooted up the stump before 
 he could have dug it up. I withhold his name. 
 
 In march or early in April we moved up near Orange 
 Courthouse, where our main army was then stationed. I 
 had been there before. We put up camp in sight of our old 
 Camp Taylor, of which I have spoken in the Fourth regi 
 ment. At this place our regiment undertook to drill in 
 what we call a battalion dril. The companies were not 
 equalized and were without form, and void of military 
 tactics or army regulations or discipline. We got dread 
 fully mixed up. Some of the officers would give the com 
 mand : "By the left shank, file right, double creep, 
 march!" Another would say, "Double fast, common time, 
 stop ! You don t know one thing about military tick- 
 tacks.". Sometimes part of the company was going in 
 one direction and some in another, I began to think we 
 
11G History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 were being mustered out of the service and each campany 
 had started home. 
 
 Shortly after we came here, my company, as I call 
 it, (for I had made it up and would have been captain 
 of it if it had been left to an election), was appointed as a 
 pontoon company. We went every day to a millpoiid not 
 far off and put in a pontoon bridge and would then take 
 it out again. In this way we soon learned to understand 
 the bu sines well. 
 
 At this time we were daily expecting a big battle, and it 
 soon came, but before it did I got a letter from Dr. Todd, 
 at home. I received it on the 1st day of May, 1864. Dr. 
 Todd advised me to come home if possible, as my wife was 
 very ill with pneumonia. I don t think there was a worse 
 time during the war to ask for a furlough. But I knew 
 that the officers of my regiment would do the best they 
 could for me, and as we belonged to no particular brigade 
 or division of the army, a furlough only had to be signed 
 by my captain, my colonel and General Lee. That very 
 day my furlough was signed by my captain, Colonel 
 Talcott and General Lee and was given to me that even 
 ing. If I had belonged to any brigade or division I have 
 no idea I would have gotten off on the 2d. I took the 
 train at Orange Courthouse and started for home, sweet 
 home. My furlough was only for fifteen days. 
 
 I found my wife much better. She was getting up and 
 about. I remained at home for a day or two and then 
 again turned my back on all that I held dear, to return 
 for the sixth and last time to Virginia, Avhere scenes of car 
 nage and slaughter were then going on at a tremendous 
 rate. The battle of the Wilderness had been fought on 
 May 5th, or about that time, and the fighting was still 
 going on, almost daily, our army gradually falling back 
 all the time. 
 
 1 w^as delayed a great deal on the road, and when I got 
 to Danville the people there were in a panic like those at 
 Weldon on a former occasion. A raid had been made up 
 the Dan river to within a few miles of Danville, and the 
 authorities there were stopping all passing soldiers and 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 117 
 
 pressing them into service to go down the river and try to 
 keep the enemy back. A man by the name of Lee, from 
 Alabama, and myself went into the woods and hid for 
 three days to keep from going down the river under we 
 knew not whom. 
 
 We bought some corn meal and a small piece of bacon 
 from a citizen and got the ladies to bake our bread. We 
 finally ventured into Danville to see how the wind blew. 
 It was not blowing at all, and the people had about quit 
 blowing. The next morning the whistle blew and I was off 
 for Richmond. 
 
 Just previous to this the enemy had made an attempt to 
 approach Richmond by the James river, but General 
 Beauregard had driven them back below Howlet s Bluff, 
 several miles below Richmond. 
 
 I was again delayed at Richmond, the authorities there 
 not knowing where the army was at the time. Everything 
 and everybody was in confusion. 1 could ascertain 
 nothing. I could get no papers to go forward, and as the 
 negro said, I sat down and wrote them myself, and went 
 without any. 
 
 I took the first train going out and went to Hanover 
 Junction, where I found out that the main army was near 
 by, and was still coming toward the junction. 
 
 I placed myself at the roadside to wait for the army to 
 come up to see if I could find out anything of my command . 
 I had not waited long when the head of the army ap 
 proached with General Lee and his staff along. It was not 
 long before the head of my regiment made its appearance, 
 Colonel Talcott at its front. The moment he saw me he 
 inquired what was the news from the south side (meaning 
 the south side of the James river). I replied, "Beauregard 
 has given the enemy the devil over there, and driven them 
 down below Howlet s Bluff." This news was soon in cir 
 culation all over the army, and a shout went up, "Hurrah 
 for Beauregard I" I was five days behind my time, but the 
 reasons were well known, and I was excused from all blame 
 whatsoever. 
 
 Our army had been doing some very hard fighting while 
 
118 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 I was gone, and was still fighting more or less every day. 
 It was falling back toward Richmond, with the enemy 
 close in the rear. I shall not describe the trials and suf 
 ferings of the army at this time as I was not with them at 
 the battle of the Wilderness, nor the different battles 
 fought afterwards in the retreat toward Richmond. I leave 
 these awful scenes for the future historian, and return to 
 events which came under my own observation, as was my 
 intention at the beginning, as I have before stated. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Our engineer regiment was sent on ahead of the main 
 army to repair bridges, work on roads and all such work 
 as might be needed. Some of our companies were sent one 
 way and some another on all of the roads leading in the 
 direction of Richmond. My company, after repairing 
 some small bridges and corduroying the road in some 
 places, finally got to Mechanicsville, and fixed up the 
 bridge I had stood on when we were halted the night pre 
 vious to going into the seven day s fight commencing at 
 Mechauicsville, and there we remained several days. 
 
 I must now digress a little and relate a circumstance 
 which occurred just before we reached Mechanicsville. 
 
 A man of my regiment had been caught between our 
 lines and the enemy s. He was taken up, tried by court 
 martial and sentenced to be shot to death with musketry. 
 I was detailed as officer of the guard to guard him one 
 day. He was handcuffed. While under guard he told me 
 that if he had paper, pen and ink he could write some let 
 ters which might save his life, and as I had just been home 
 I had a supply of these articles on hand. I suspect I was 
 the only man in the regiment who had such things. I fur 
 nished him with as much as he needed, and he wrote sev 
 eral letters, one of which I know was to Jefferson Davis. 
 I did not know who the others were for. When I went 
 to leave him next morning he gave me U 0cean!s Poems," 
 in three volumes, remarking that that was all he had to 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 119 
 
 give me in return for m t y kindness to him. I at first re 
 fused to take the books, but he persisted in my taking 
 them, saying that he would need them no more. While 
 here at Mechanics ville the day arrived for his execution. 
 The men were chosen for the occasion, but just before he 
 was about to be executed a pardon was read to him. Here 
 I lost sight of him until just before the close of the war. He 
 made his appearance in camp one day, and I was the first 
 man he inquired for. He told me I was the cause indi 
 rectly of his now being alive. He wanted to buy the poems 
 back, but I had read and disposed of them. 
 
 We repaired the bridge at Mechariicsville and then 
 bruised around until we got to Chafin s Bluff, on James 
 river. Our army was still falling back. 
 
 After remaining there for a day or two Captain Bruce s 
 company and my own were sent to repair the railroad 
 between Richmond and Danville. The enemy had made a 
 raid and torn up the track for thirty miles. We had a 
 pretty good time while there, as the army had not been 
 there and provisions were pretty plentiful as yet. When 
 we finished on the railroad we returned to Chafin s Bluff. 
 We put in a pontoon bridge of one hundred and thirty- 
 five boats, left two of our company to guard it, and a few 
 days afterwards the balance of us went on to Petersburg 
 soon after the blow up there. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 We went about two miles past Petersburg and put up 
 camp. 
 
 About this time the armies were maneuvreing around 
 Petersburg and Richmond almost continually, not know 
 ing which would be attacked first. It kept both armies in 
 motion. There was fighting going on more or less all the 
 time at some point on the line, the engagements being 
 called skirmishes, though they would have been consid 
 ered big battles in any of our previous wars. 
 
120 History of the Fourth Regiment, 
 
 These were dark days for us ; half fed, half clothed, some 
 barefoot, our currency worthless. It took $50 to buy a 
 chicken, a ponnd of bacon or pound of coffee. Pressed by 
 an overwhelming army, and families at home suffering for 
 the prime necessities of life. Our poor half-starved sol 
 diers who had faced the cannon s mouth for nearly four 
 years grew weary under our multiplied hardships and pri 
 vations. To take all these things into consideration it 
 did not take a prophet to see the end. We all saw it and 
 publicly talked about it in our camps. Our condition was 
 deplorable indeed. 
 
 At this time our army had become so reduced in number 
 that they called for all the boys over sixteen years old (in 
 South Carolina, at least). This took in my own son, my 
 only child, from his mother s arms, his mother s protec 
 tion, and put him into the battle field. If this was not 
 murder it was manslaughter. 
 
 Previous to this there had been a law or an order to the 
 effect that any one getting a recruit not coming under the 
 Conscript Act would get a thirty days furlough (these boys 
 were to go into the State service in South Carolina). So 
 my son, Irving, not coming under the Conscript Act, bid 
 his mother farewell (leaving her alone), and came to me 
 as a recruit of mine, which entitled me to a thirty days 
 furlough, but I would not go off and leave him at that 
 time. Think of these things, ye fathers and mothers. Does 
 it seem possible that you could do so now ? Or where is 
 the boy sixteen years old who would shoulder his musket 
 and go eight hundred miles, where nothing but starvation 
 and death could be looked for? Washington Irving Keid 
 did so, when, if he had remained in South Carolina he 
 would only have been taken into the State service for six 
 months. He was now I. F. W. (in forthewar). So my boy 
 was from this time on side by side with me until a time I 
 shall mention further on. I will state, however, that my 
 wife was much better satisfied that he should be with me 
 than to have had him with the other boys, down on the 
 coast. It was for the best. That dear woman put per 
 fect confidence in me or in what I said. 
 
South Carolina Volunteers, 121 
 
 The day after Irving came to me I did not have him 
 mustered into the service, but let him go wherever he 
 wished to go. He went to Petersburg and along the lines, 
 and returned just at night, with some of the clay from the 
 "blow-up," with which he made pipes, which were in great 
 demand at that time, and especlially pipes made of "blow 
 up" clay, as we called it. The reader will no doubt under 
 stand that it was clay from the mine General Grant blew 
 up. Next day I had Irving regularly mustered into the 
 Confederate service, and he became as one of us. 
 
 By this time my superiors in office (I don t know that 
 they were superiors in all respects), had become so well ac 
 quainted with me that I was put over a great deal of the 
 work going on at the time. 
 
 I was always allowed to pick my own men. I will give 
 the names of some I always chose: Corporal Southern, of 
 Greenville, S. C.; Reagan, William and Marion Fowler, 
 Johnson, all of SpartanburgJ; Elijah Hatcher, Hill, Samuel 
 Harris and Bearden, of Anderson; Joel Crisp and McDuffy 
 Stone, of Laurens, two Griffin brothers, Donaldson, Dear- 
 son (a German), all from the lower part of South Cai-olina ; 
 Lewis Jones, of North Carolina and my son, with a good 
 many others I cannot remember at this late d*y, but I 
 must not forget to mention Taylor, of Spartanburg, for 
 he was my right hand man. 
 
 At the time of Irving s arrival I was engaged in getting 
 timber for cheraux de freize obstructions to put in front of 
 our lines to prevent or delay a cavalry charge. They wjre 
 also greatly in the way of an infantry charge. About this 
 time Captain Bruce, who was countermining at Peters 
 burg, wanted me to come and help him. Captain Robinson 
 acted the gentleman, and gave me my choice of going or 
 remaining with him. I remained. 
 
 I could not forsake my own captain and the boy I had 
 brought there, and go to another company, although 
 there was not a man in the service I thought more of than 
 of Captain Bruce. 
 
 The boys who went with me treated me like a father, 
 and I did all I could for them. If any of those boys read 
 
122 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 this page, will they be glad to hear from their old ser 
 geant ? 
 
 About this time I was sent as an engineer officer to at 
 tend to the altering of our lines, at Battery Forty-Five, 
 a little south of Petersburg, and although I did not pro^ 
 fess to be a regular engineer, I could see that I was taken 
 for such. The infantry officers who were along always- 
 consulted with me about the work but I managed to get 
 their opinions before I delivered my own, and in that way 
 got along all right. I expect to this day, if any of them 
 are living, they think I was a regular engineer of high 
 standing. We shortened our lines in front of Battery 
 Forty-Five and I returned to camp. 
 
 About this time it became necessary to build a pontoon 
 bridge above Petersburg, as the enemy were continually 
 shelling the public bridges in Petersburg. So after cutting 
 a new road, we (my company), put in two pontoon 
 bridges across the Appomattox river, one of them just 
 above Petersburg, the other about a mile above. Our 
 army at the time was crossing and recrossing continually 
 and a regular bombardment was going on day and night 
 along our lines. 
 
 Just before we moved over to our bridges, a little drove 
 of beeves passed our camp. General Hampton had gotten 
 around to the rear of the enemy s lines and taken them 
 from Abraham s bosom. There were twenty-five hundred 
 of them, all fine steers. Irving looked at them until his 
 eyes watered, and his mouth too, I reckon. I know mine 
 did. 
 
 The first night after we got to our new camp on the 
 north side of the Appomattox river it rained in torrents 
 all night. I sent Irving to a house near by and told him 
 to remain there all night. I then stretched up rny oil 
 cloth, as I had often done before, and lay down under it as 
 best I could. I had been there but a few minutes when he 
 returned saying that he could not get room in the house. 
 I got up and forced him to take my place under the oil 
 cloth, and I, with many others, remained up all night in 
 the rain. We tried to keep a fire, but it rained so hard 
 
South Carolina Volunteers, 123 
 
 we could not make the wood burn. This was in October. 
 Remember these things, ye that are dressed in purple 
 and fine linen and fare sumptuously every day. The 
 writer of these things, old and decrepid, has no place he 
 can call his home. 
 
 Oil that I had a bosom friend 
 
 To tell my sorrows to, 
 In whose advice I might depend 
 
 In everything I do. 
 
 How do I wonder up and down, 
 
 And no one pities me ; 
 I seern a stranger, quite unknown, 
 
 A child of misery. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 I went immediately to work digging a out a place on a 
 steep bank ten feet square, and put the plates of my cabin 
 on top of the ground. I managed to get boards to cover 
 it, and then Irving and I had a good warm place to stay. 
 Just before this one of my company had died and left me 
 a bedtick. We filled it with dry grass, and then we had a 
 house and a bed to sleep upon, but no glass windows or 
 curtains. We now thought ourselves in St. John s third 
 story, when in fact we were only in the cellar, where I 
 fear a great many others are who think they are in the 
 garret. 
 
 From this time on my comyany kept up and guarded 
 both the pontoon bridges across the Appomattox river. 
 When on guard I was always officer of the guard. I took 
 it by turns first at the upper bridge and then at the lower 
 one. It was the rule that when a sentinel wanted instruc 
 tions of any kind they would call out, " Officer of the 
 guard," etc. We kept a sentinel at each end of the bridge. 
 It was a little amusing to us all to hear Irving call out, 
 **Papa, come here," but nevertheless it was quite natural. 
 He was the youngest in the regiment, and was allowed to 
 
124 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 do pretty much as he pleased, which he is doing yet. 
 After he came to Virginia I fared a little better for provis 
 ions than I had been doing, as he was always on the run 
 when not on guard, trading about and getting something 
 to eat, when I could not have gotten it if I had tried. His 
 being so young, the ladies about Etrix and Petersburg 
 would divide any provisions they had with him. Etrix is 
 a factory town just above Petersburg and in sight of our 
 camp. 
 
 I gave him $50 one day, with w r hich he bought a bushel 
 of sweet potatoes, which he sold at $ 1 each. They were 
 small potatoes at that, being about the size of snake 
 roots. He borrowed a double-barreled shotgun from a, 
 citizen, with which he killed a great many robbins, which 
 he sold at f 1 each. 
 
 One day, on Sunday, he was on guard at the upper 
 bridge without me. Lee s army got after a wild turkey. 
 It flew over into an island a short distance above the 
 bridge, and so Lee s army \vas outflanked and retreated 
 in good order. After they had gone Irving took an extra 
 pontoon boat we always kept on hand, went up and killed 
 it. He shot it with his musket standing in the boat, amid 
 tremendous applause. As he brought it down to me to 
 camp he was offered $75 for it. I let Captain Robinson 
 have part of it for some flour, and at dinner I had turkey 
 and dumplings, a thing I knew Irving was very found of. 
 When he came to dinner he ate with a tremendous relish, 
 and so did I. We also caught a good many fish. 
 
 One night, and as cold a night, by the way, as I ever 
 saw, just before morning. Donaldson, who was on guard 
 at the end of the bridge next to where I was, fell into the 
 river, breaking the ice as he went plunging into the water. 
 I went and helped him out. Reader, did you ever see a 
 drowned rat ? If you have you would know how he looked. 
 He swore that he had not been asleep, but I think he had. 
 I offered to put a man in his place until he had time to 
 change his clothes, but he refused. 1 am of the opinion 
 he could not change them for the fact that he had none to 
 change. 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 125 
 
 Heavy firing all along the lines now. The armies still 
 moving back and forth. This crossing and recrossing of 
 our bridges has enabled me to become more or less ac 
 quainted with all our generals, from General Lee down, 
 Lee himself having his headquarters near our upper 
 bridge. On one occasion I was on duty at the upper 
 bridge, and in the evening I received an order directly from 
 General Lee to double my guard that night, and to send 
 word for them to do the same at the other bridge, and for 
 me to put a man on post at the Petersburg side of the 
 bridge whom I could depend upon, and to give him the 
 following instrcutions : That if a crowd of men came 
 to cross the bridge without proper papers from him 
 to fire off his gun and get out of the way, at which 
 signal I was to form my men in front of the bridge on the 
 opposite side of the river and commence firing. A brigade 
 of our men. it was reported to General Lee, had threat 
 ened to take possession of our commissary department, 
 which was on this side of the river. The officer who 
 bi ought me this order took my name and rank, so that if 
 I did not do my duty it would be known who to blame. 
 
 I sent a note to my superiors at camp and informed 
 them of the order, and the other men I needed were sent 
 me just at night. The same thing was done at the lower 
 bridge. What I disliked most was that it was my own 
 men I had to fight, if I had to fight at all. It seemed to 
 me that if they had been the enemy I would not have 
 minded it half so much. 
 
 Irving was with us at the time. I omitted to say that 
 we were not to sleep and were to keep our arms in order, 
 and to remain with them in our hands. 
 
 About 9 o clock (Taylor, of Spartanburg, being on 
 post) we heard a big crowd coming over the bridge. Had 
 Taylor fired ? My men were all excitement, but formed in 
 front of the bridge as directed, and wanted to fire. I cried 
 out at the top of my voice, "Withhold your fire !" I also 
 cried out to the approaching crowd, "Halt !" They did 
 so. I ran and met them on the bridge. They had the 
 right kind of papers and were going to guard thecommis- 
 
126 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 sary department. If Taylor had been a fool, or if I had 
 acted unwisely, what trouble we would have had, but Tay 
 lor had done his duty, and I had tried to do mine. 
 Nothing happened through the night. Next morning at 
 daybreak the crowd went back and reported to General 
 Lee how it had been the night before. That morning, be 
 fore my time was out on guard, General Lee sent an order, 
 or rather, a request to me, asking me to remain as officer 
 of the guard another day and night, stating that I had 
 acted praiseworthily the night before, and if 1 remained 
 another term I then might rest several days. I was to 
 double my guard again at night. My men were relieved 
 that morning at 8 o clock, but I remained another term. 
 I doubled my guard again that night but nothing occurred 
 to disturb us. 
 
 After we put in those two pontoon bridges my company 
 did little else but guard and attend them. Two of our 
 companies were at Chafin s Bluff, attending the pontoon 
 bridge across the James river at that place. The balance 
 of our regiment was employed first at one thing and then 
 at another, scarcely ever all being at the same place. Col 
 onel Talcott s headquarters, however, were with us, where 
 some of the other companies generally camped. None of 
 them ever had anything to do with the bridges but the 
 company to which I belonged. We had some dreadful 
 times when the river would be up, getting in the water very 
 often to work on the abutments of the bridge. 
 
 General Lee and Colonel Talcott seemed to be on very 
 intimate terms, as they were often seen together, riding 
 around and viewing the situation. 
 
 As I was not engaged in any of the almost daily fight 
 ing now going on, I shall not attempt a description of 
 them. Any old soldier who took part in them can tell you 
 more about them than I shall undertake to do, as my 
 duties at this time did not call me to the front. I will only 
 say that an almost continual firing was going on. The 
 artillery duels that were frequently fought were truly ter 
 rific. Hundreds of cannon, loading and firing as fast as 
 it was possible to be done. Nothing in comparison to it 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 127 
 
 was ever known in America or perhaps elsewhere, and I do 
 sincerely hope that the like may never be heard again. It 
 continued until the end. 
 
 I shall now only give the reader a few facts that came 
 under my own observation and end my narrative, leaving 
 it for more able pens than my own to portray the bloody 
 reign of terror around Petersburg, Virginia, in 1864 and 
 1865. 
 
 \ will now go back to my pontoon bridges and see 
 what is going on there, which I will tell you of in the next 
 chapter. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 In January, 1865, as some of my readers will recollect, 
 there came a powerful freshet in the Appomattox river. 
 When the river was at its height eleven of my men, all re 
 cruits of mine, took a boat over to an island for firewood. 
 While there a dam, which had been built for military pur 
 poses on a small stream emptying just above the island, 
 containing a large quantity of water, gave way, and the 
 river being already very high, it became alarming for the 
 men on the island. They became panic-stricken and at 
 tempted to come back to land. The boat was capsized 
 and three of them were drowned, Hill, of Anderson county, 
 William Fowler, of Spartanburg, and Dierson, a German, 
 from near Charleston. A few days after, when the river 
 had fallen and everything frozen, I was going to my 
 breakfast down the river, when I came across Irving drag 
 ging the body of Hill across a little frozen pond on the ice. 
 He had been found clinched to a bush. His countenance 
 had a terrorized expression, as though he had been crying. 
 I sent help and had him taken to camp. On the same day 
 Sergeant Graham and Irving found Fowler also. I had 
 decent coffins made and attended to their burial. Dierson 
 was never found. 
 
128 History of the fourth Regiment 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Dear reader, I am now approaching the time 
 
 "When wild war s deadly blast was blown, 
 
 And gentle peace returning, 
 And eyes again wiah pleasure beamed 
 
 That had been bleared with mourning," 
 
 1 will now mention how I got off from Virginia and the 
 closing of the war, and I will then be done with my nar- 
 ative of the war, and all I intend writing. 
 
 As before stated, I was entitled to a thirty day s fur 
 lough for getting Irving as a recruit in the Confederate 
 service. 
 
 About the last of. January, 1865, I called for my fur 
 lough. It was duly written out and signed by Ca.ptain 
 Robinson and Colonel Talcott and sent up to General Lee, 
 who sent it back not approved, with a few lines to me 
 which read about as follows : 
 
 Sergeant Reid, Co. K, First Regiment Engineer Troops: 
 Did you or your officers know that the order for granting 
 furloughs for recruits had been rescinded, or did you get the 
 recruit in good faith, expecting a furlough ? 
 
 (Signed) R. E. LEE, General. 
 
 My officers and myself replied to General Lee s note that 
 none of us were aware that the order was delayed, much 
 less rescinded, and that the recruit Avas gotten last fall, in 
 good faith expecting a furlough. General Lee then sent it 
 back approved, with another note which read about as 
 lows : 
 
 Sergeant Reid, Co. K, First Regiment Engineer Troops : 
 If you or your officers know of any others of your regi 
 ment who got recruits in good faith expecting a furlough, 
 let them send them to headquarters and I will sign them. 
 (Signed) R. E. LEE, General. 
 
 The original order for granting furloughs for recruits 
 also allowed transportation. When I wept to the trans 
 portation office they refused me transportation, because, 
 they said, the order had been rescinded granting such 
 
South Carolina Volunteers. 129 
 
 furloughs, and all the arguments I could use did no good, 
 I took my furlough and went up to Oeeneral Lee s head 
 quarters. He sent an order to the office authorizing them 
 to give me transportation. General Lee asked me if I had 
 shown the men at the transportation office the note he 
 sent me in regard to other soldiers getting furloughs in the 
 same way I had done. I told him I had. He remarked, 
 "They ought to have given you transportation without 
 putting you to this trouble," This was the last time I 
 ever saw General Lee. 
 
 I got my transportation and returned to camp after 
 night. I was officer of the guard that night, so as to en 
 able me to remain at home a day longer. 
 
 I cannot express my feelings as 1 left my boy at camp 
 that night. I went around and bid Captain Robinson and 
 all the boys, as it turned out to be, a last farewell. Next 
 morning at 6 o clock I put Corporal Hays in my place, 
 boarded the train and bid an everlasting farewell to Old 
 Virginia and to the remains of the glorious old Army of 
 Northern Virginia and to all my army associations, and 
 started homeward once more. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 ISJo more shall the sound of the war whoop be heard. 
 The anguish and slaughter no longer be feared ; 
 The tomahawk buried shall rest in the ground, 
 And peace and good will to our nation abound, 
 
 As I have before stated, I did not attempt to write a 
 history of the war, but only of the regiment to which I 
 belonged. Nevertheless, I have written facts which can 
 not be successfully contradicted. I may have made a few- 
 mistakes in my description of some of our movements, but 
 if so they are few and far between. I do not doubt but 
 that I have given as true a statement of things which 
 came under my observation as will be given by any one, 
 and especially by one who was in no higher position than 
 
130 History of the Fourth Regiment 
 
 I was, and the future historian can depend upon most of 
 my statements. I at all times gave facts as correctly as 
 my limited chances would permit. In giving my state 
 ment of the first fight at Manassas on July 21, 1861, I 
 know that I am correct in the number of troops present 
 when the attack was made, namely, the Fourth South 
 Carolina regiment and Wheat s Battalion of Louisianians. 
 In fact, in describing all the battles in which I participated 
 I did all in my power to state nothing but facts, and I did 
 the same in my description of our travels, privations and 
 hardships. In some of my anecdotes I may have put on 
 some paint, but not so in our travels, battles, etc. 
 
 When I left camp I left with a heavy heart, for I did not 
 believe I would ever get back to Virginia. I knew that the 
 end had about come. 
 
 I got home all right, but Sherman s army, getting be 
 tween me and Virginia, I did not <ro back. 
 
 My readers are all familiar with the surrender of Lee. I 
 will therefore say nothing about it here. My son was at 
 the surrender, and that very day he took the measles and 
 was carried back by the enemy from Appomattox to 
 Petersburg. After remaining there a few days he 
 was removed ty Farmville. where he remained until 
 until he was sent home, where he arrived on the 20th day 
 of May, 1865. We had mourned him as dead, as we could 
 not hear what had become of him after the surrender. 
 
 I am now through with my war record. I could have 
 given an account of a great many incidents which occurred 
 during the war, but I think what I have written is suffi 
 cient. 
 
 The brave, poor soldier ne er despise, 
 
 Or count him as a stranger ; 
 Remember, he s his country s stay 
 
 In the day and hour of danger, 
 
 THE END. 
 
Sketch of the Life of the Author. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 On the 5th day of February, 1824, I was born in what 
 was then Pendleton District, South Carolina, in the por 
 tion now known as Oconee county. My father, Reuben 
 Reid, was a schoolteacher and survey or by profession. He 
 was born August 22, 1785, which was but a few years 
 after his father, Joseph Reid, had moved from Virginia, 
 where he was raised. 
 
 He was, I think, of Scottish descent. My father s mother 
 was also raised in Virginia, and was a cousin to Andrew 
 Jackson, who was twice president of the United States. 1 
 remember hearing my father speak of four brothers of his 
 George, Joseph, Jesse and Blincoe. I never knew any of 
 them except George, the eldest brother. He and his chil 
 dren are all dead. My father also had three sisters, but I 
 have never seen them. One of them married a man named 
 Beard. 
 
 My father in his young days traveled about a great deal, 
 teaching school and surveying land. He taught school 
 not only in South Carolina, but in North Carolina and 
 Tennessee. 
 
 During the war of 1812 he enlisted (I think at Greenville 
 Courthouse), and went into the service of the United 
 States armv. When he had served out his term of eighteen 
 
 O 
 
 months he received an honorable discharge from the army 
 and started home, somewhere about the mountains, but 
 when he got within fifteen miles of home he heard of the 
 death of his father, and he turned back with the intention 
 of going to Charleston, but on the way he stopped 
 one night in Newberry District with a man named Boyd, 
 who persuaded my father to put up a school in his neigh 
 borhood, which he consented to do. A very large school 
 was soon made up for him and he went to teaching. While 
 teaching in this neigborhood he first saw my mother. My 
 
132 Sketch. 
 
 mother s grand parent had come from Germany when 
 her father and mother were children, and settled in what 
 was known as Dutch Fork, between Saluda and Broad 
 rivers, on Cannon s creek. A good many other German 
 families also settled in the same neighborhood, among 
 whom were the Cramers, the Wickers, the Subers,the Kin- 
 ards, the Kestlers, the Eiohelbergers and many others. 
 
 My mother was a Dickert. Her father had died when she 
 was smalt, leaving her and three brothers, Michael, Adam 
 and Henry. All of them have long since died. My grand 
 mother afterwards married Simon Wicker, a widower with 
 five or six children. 
 
 As I have said, my father, while in the Boyd settlement, 
 first saw my mother. She was- then staying with an uncle 
 of hers named George Stackman, a preacher, who lived in 
 the Boyd Settlement, as it was called. I omitted to state 
 that rny mother was born in the year 1800. 
 
 Somewhere in this neighborhood my father and mother 
 were married at a camp meeting on August 10, 1816. 
 
 My father had wandered about a great deal in his young 
 days, and it seemed to be natural with him to continue 
 this practice as long as he lived. I do not know 
 where he was living when my eldest sister, Lu- 
 cinda, was born, but that momentous event occurred in 
 1819 r and in 1821 my next oldest sister, Matilda, was 
 born, and by the time I was born we had gotten around 
 to Pendleton District, as above stated. We were still in 
 Pendleton, though not at the same place when my sister 
 Zillah Elizabeth was born, July 25th, 1826, near what 
 was called Rock Spring church, on Coueross creek. 
 
 My very farthest recollection commences about this 
 time, I cannot remember when 1 fintt began to go to 
 school, as my father often carried me to school in his arms; 
 before my recollection. As I was his only son he took, 
 great pains to train me. 
 
 I can say what 1 presume few others can say, that is ? 
 that 1 have no recollection Avhatever of when I learned to 
 to read and write. My first recollection of my schooling 
 is when I began to cypher in arithmetic, and I was then 
 
Sketch. 133 
 
 quite young. I can well remember when my father used 
 to go to Old Peudleton for examination as a teacher and 
 to get his public money. He did his trading with a Mr. 
 Cherry. He also went to Columbia once in every four 
 years to have his license renewed as a surveyor. 
 
 When I was about six years old we moved to Newberry 
 again and my father taught school for awhile a short dis- 
 tmice below Stony Batter in the neighborhood of the 
 Lindsays, the Waits , the Wise s and Harmon s. After re 
 maining there a few years he moved a few miles to a ferry 
 on Saluda river, known as Lee s ferry. Here we remained 
 for about two years, my father attending to the ferry and 
 keeping a public house for traveling men and drovers. It 
 was while here that my youngest sister, Zillah, and my 
 self commenced rabbit hunting, fishing and climbing for 
 muscadines, which we kept up for some time afterwards. 
 She was just the same as a brother to me. We would ride 
 canes and call them horses, ride up and hitch our steeds 
 to the fence, and feel a good deal larger than we have 
 ever felt since. We used to go into the piney wood and 
 whip pine trees for negroes, the accusation against one 
 and all being that we caught them stealing 10,000 barrels 
 of flour a pretty good load. 
 
 While living at this place a man called to stay all night. 
 My father let him stay, but was not acquainted with him. 
 He had come on foot. He was up early the next morning 
 and walked down to theflatboat landing. Just afterward 
 my father started down toward the landing and saw the 
 man go out to the hind end of the flat. When my father 
 reached the landing he could see nothing of the man. His 
 hat was lying in the boat. 
 
 My father sent me around to inform the neighbors on 
 the Edgefield side of the river and he went on the New- 
 berry side to inform the neighbors. The hat was left where 
 it was in the boat. A large crowd soon gathered and 
 about 1 o clock he was gotten out. It was found that he 
 had filled his bosom and pockets with rocks weighing 
 wenty -eight pounds. There were several men present 
 who knew the man. His name was W. H. Tyler, of New- 
 
134 Sketch. 
 
 berry Courthouse. The cause of the suicide was not known. 
 
 These were the days of nullification. And the great me 
 teoric shower called the falling of the stars occurring, 
 caused great revivals in the churches for a short time. 
 
 After remaining at Lee s ferry for two years we moved 
 up to within five miles of Newberry Courthouse, and my 
 father put up a school in the settlement of the Chapmans, 
 the Shepherds, Boozers and others. While here I went 
 with my father to Newberry. A negro had been hung there 
 for beating a man named Igenor, and the doctors had his 
 body dissecting it. But of this I was in blissful ignorance. 
 My father had some business with one of the doctors, 
 and called at the office to see him, and I at his heels, as 
 usual. When the door was opened and I got a glimpse of 
 that negro ! 1 left father s heels and my own carried me 
 away at the rate of ten knots an hour. No chuckle- 
 headed youngster was ever worse scared. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 From this place we moved down on Cannon s creek, in 
 the Dutch fork, not far from my grandmother s. At this 
 time nullification was at its height. I remember going 
 with my father to a barbecue at a place called Rumley 
 Hill. A great many speeches were made, all in favor of 
 nullification. A cavalry company mustered there that 
 day, commanded by Captain H. H. Kinard, afterwards 
 General Kinard. 
 
 From Dutch fork we moved up into Abbeville county, 
 near Double Bridges, on Rocky river, and there my father 
 taught another school on the Harleston place, and here 
 we were at the time of the noted cold Saturday in 1835. 
 We remained here some time and then moved up into the 
 edge of Anderson county, on Hen Coop creek, remained a 
 short, time and moved to old Laurens factory, on Big 
 Rabun creek, in Laurens county. We children went into 
 the cotton factory to work and my father went in the 
 grist mill. When we had worked about three months the 
 factory burned down. 
 
Sketch. 135 
 
 My father then put up a school near the burnt factory, 
 and I worked with the Messrs. Whites at building a new 
 factory, which was finished, but they never got machinery 
 in it, and the Whites moved away, Robert White to 
 Georgia and William to Mississippi. 
 
 While living at Burnt Factory my mother gave birth to 
 another son on the 7th of April, 1837. On the night of 
 the 24th of December in the same year, my father died 
 from an attack of choking quinsy, after an illness of two 
 days. 
 
 At my father s death we were left in rather a bad condi 
 tionthe family all girls except the baby and myself, and 
 I was too young to attend to business. 
 
 Before proceeding any further I will state that I never 
 went to school after my father s death, but went regularly 
 to work from that time on. 
 
 After father s death my mother consulted with the neigh 
 bors as to what would be the best thing for her to do 
 under the circumstances in which she was left. 
 
 She was advised to go, if she could do so, to a cotton 
 factory. Accordingly, my oldest sister and myself went 
 to the Reedy river factory in Greenville, owned by Yardry 
 McBee, and very readily made arrangements with Colonel 
 Leonard Allen, superintendent of the factory, to move 
 there immediately. 
 
 Accordingly we moved in March, 1838. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 When I first moved to Reedy River factory and for some 
 time afterwards, the factory ran day and night, having 
 two sets of hands, who relieved each other at mid-day and 
 mid-night. My sister and I were what were called morn 
 ing hands. W r e went to work at midnight and worked 
 until mid-day. I have often gone to sleep standing upon 
 my feet. 
 
 This same spring my mother was taken sick with fever, 
 and my little brother, Reuben C. Reid, then a little over a 
 
136 Sketch. 
 
 year old, had to be weaned. With the fever rny mother 
 took an internal disease with which she died fourteen 
 years afterwards. I have known my mother s condition to 
 be such that for a year at a time she was unable to leave 
 the house. There is no telling what that jrood woman 
 suffered for fourteen years. 
 
 In 1839 rny oldest sister, Lucinda, married Edward Mc 
 Carthy, and moved to Greenville Courthouse, while we 
 moved to a small factory on South Tyger river called 
 Hut-chins Factory, owned in part by Rev. Thomas 
 Hutching, an Englishman by birth and the most talented 
 preacher (of the Methodist denomination), I ever knew. 
 In about eight months after moving there the owners of 
 the factory disagreed and the factory shut down and was 
 afterwards sold. When this occurred w-e moved back to 
 Greenville, to a paper mill owned by Andrew Patterson. 
 
 The paper mill was only one mile above the Reedy River 
 factory. 
 
 In the year 1840 my sister and her husband separated 
 and she came home to us again, and in the summer of 
 1840 her daughter was bom, who is now living at Pied 
 mont factory, the wife of George Brownan and the mother 
 of eleven children, of which nine are living, three being- 
 mar ried. 
 
 While living at the paper mill I first became acquainted 
 with John A. Cargill. a son of Clement Cargill. The man 
 was never born of woman whom I would rather be with 
 than J. A. Cargill. 
 
 After remaining at the paper mill about two years the 
 owner, Mr. Patterson,, failed, and the mill had to be sold. 
 Patterson moved to Missouri. Bennijah Dunham bought 
 the mill. 
 
 About that time we moved back to the McBee factory, 
 otherwise called the Reedy River factory. I had reached 
 the age of seventeen years, and Leonard Alien,. the super 
 intendent, took a great interest in me. He learned me all 
 he could about machinery, and treated me precisely as he 
 did his own son, John, who was one year younger. than I. 
 Unfortunately forme, after a year or .two Mr. Allen died. 
 He was next thing to a father to me. 
 
Sketch. 137 
 
 For a while they got first one and then another incapa 
 ble man to run the factory. I ran the factory and they 
 got the pay. I finally grew tired of this and went to the 
 Pendleton factory in December, 1843. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 As I have stated, I moved to Pendleton with my mother 
 and family in December, 1843. To attempt to tell one- 
 tenth of my ups and downs would be more than I care 
 about undertaking. 
 
 A young man was working in the factory whom I had 
 worked with at the paper mill and known in Laurens when 
 a child, named Henry Adkins, and another one on the 
 place named Thomas Massey, whom I had also known in 
 Laurens and Greenville, together with myself, cut a tre 
 mendous swell around about the old Pendleton factory for 
 about two years. Massey in 1845 married Susan Dickin 
 son, whom I had worked with several years. She is now a 
 widow living at Piedmont with her son, Benjamin Massey, 
 a good stone mason. I do not know what eventually be 
 came of Adkins. I left him at the Pendleton factory in 
 December, 1845. 
 
 In 1845 I became of age, but still remained with my 
 mother. The summer of that year was known as the dry 
 summer. The factory lost a great deal of time for want of 
 water. 
 
 I took several trips that summer up on Chauga creek, 
 where I had lived when a little boy. I had a good time 
 with the boys up there that summer, but a good deal bet- 
 time with the girls. Some of them came to Sandy Springs 
 campmeetings that fall, and there I had a still better 
 time. Sandy Springs is near the factory. 
 
 I moved back to McBee factory in December, 1845, 
 being gone just two years. I went to work in the factory 
 again and also to looking around among the girls. I tell 
 you I was beginning to be pretty bad among the girls at 
 that time, but I could not help it. 
 
188 Sketch.. 
 
 I had not been in Greenville long when I found the only 
 girl I ever dearly loved. Her father, John Tiipp. had 
 moved to the Dunham paper mill while I was at the Pen- 
 diet on factory. 
 
 As soon as- I became acquainted with Mary Tnpp 
 (always called Polly), I dropped all others, as E soon 
 found that my future destiny was In her hands. I became 
 a regular visitor at her father s house, and it was not 
 long until I perceived that my dear little Polly was think 
 ing well of me. At the same time, my friend John A. Car- 
 gill was courting Polly r s sister, Matilda. 
 
 I shall not allude to the pleasure we four young- people 
 have had together. What one knew all knew, and it was 
 not long before other people knew something about it too,, 
 for on the 22d of October, 1846, I was married to my dar 
 ling Polly by Squire Cox, and just five weeks afterward 
 friend Cargill was married to Matilda by the same man. 
 
 A little house was built for me at the factory and I 
 moved into it with my wife. If ever a man was happy on 
 this earth I was that man, in that little house and with 
 that little woman. 
 
 On the 26th day of October, 1847, our son and only- 
 child, Washington Irving Reid, was born. After remain- 
 Ing in the factory another year I left it and went to work 
 at doing stonework with J. J. Lewis, who had recently 
 married my sister Matilda. 
 
 About this time, McCarthy being dead, my sister Lucin- 
 da married William Smith. 
 
 Mr. Lewis and I moved down on Grove creek, In the 
 Charles settlement. We worked about all over the coun 
 try, and in Laurens, Newberry and almost everywhere, 
 blasting rock principally. 
 
 In 1849 we got a large job of work to do in Edgefield 
 from Adam Eichelberger. I took my wife with me there 
 and kept her with me for several months. When we had 
 finished there we went dack into Greenville, where we had 
 left our things with mother and Sister Zillah, who was yet 
 unmarried. 
 
1S9 
 
 After coming back to Greenville I left Lewis and went on 
 my own hook through Greenville, Anderson, Pickens, Ab 
 beville, Laurens and .New berry, working at raj trade. 
 
 CHAPTER V, 
 
 In January, 1851, having so much work to do In New- 
 berry, I took my wife and child with me down on Broad 
 river, ten miles alcove Alston, which was then being built, 
 and within two miles of where my mother was born and 
 raised. I remained in Newberry for two years. The larg 
 est job of work I ever did for one man was for David Half- 
 acre, in 1852, six miles below Newberry Courthouse on the 
 Columbia road. This was the year of the great August 
 freshet. I, with my little family, sat on a^hill and watched 
 the surging waters rush by all day when the river was at 
 its height. It was on Sunday. 
 
 In the latter part of December, 1852, I moved back to 
 Greenville, in sight of where Pelzer factory now stands. 
 
 Sister Zillah had that year married Stephen Hicks. 
 
 I remained at this place one 3 ear, Avorking around as 
 usual, doing a great deal of work at Williamston, in An 
 derson county, just about that time being built up. At 
 that time the Greenville and Columbia railroad was being 
 built. 
 
 1 remained here one year and moved up to within five 
 miles of Greenville and one mile from the old paper mill 
 where my wife s father still lived, as w 7 as also my friend Car- 
 gill, bossing the paper factory. During my stay of four 
 years at this place my wife s father, John Tripp, died. 
 
 I still followed my trade, which kept me the greater part 
 of my time away from home. I worked a great deal about 
 Greenville Courthouse, for Joab Mauldin, James Benson, 
 Dr. Jones, Thadeus Bowling, Colonel T. E. Ware and 
 many others. I also blasted out the well at the Greenville 
 poorhouse, at the foot of Paris mountain. John Black 
 was steward at the time. I also did a good deal of work 
 around old Pickensville, Pendleton, Cesar s Head and else- 
 
140 Sketch. 
 
 where. 
 
 After living at the paper mill for four years, as I have 
 said, I returned to within sight of Wilson s bridge, where 
 Pelzer now is, and worked about as usual. 
 
 At one time I was at work twelve miles below Anderson 
 Courthouse, near Holland s store, at a church called Shi- 
 loh. While there some neighbors, who wanted some work 
 done, Colonel Thomas Parks, Alexander McClinton, E. J. 
 Earle and others, persuaded me to move over into the 
 neighborhood. Colonel Parks offered to move me and 
 furnish me a house. I moved over in January, 1861, and 
 worked about in the neighborhood until April, at which 
 time 1 went to Virginia with the Fourth Regiment of 
 South Carolina Volunteers. Of our travels and hardships 
 there 1 have already informed you as best I could. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 This day be peace and bread my lot, 
 
 All else beneath the sun 
 Thou knowest whether best bestowed on not, 
 
 And let Thy will be done. 
 
 How often have I said during the war that I would 
 thank my God if I could once more be at home with my 
 little family and a piece of bread. If I had anything more 
 I would highly appreciate it, but if not I could be happy. 
 
 I returned home to my family. I had the bread ; I also 
 had plenty of other things, or at least as much as nature 
 called for. I was once more a free and happy man. 
 
 I wenfc to work at my trade again, doing a good deal of 
 work in Hart and Franklin county, Ga., and in Greenville, 
 S. C. After two or three years I got to doing- a great deal 
 of work in Elbert county, Ga., below Elberton. I worked 
 for Robert Hall, William Jones, Jr., the Heards, the Hern- 
 dons, Judge Thomas, William Tate, and a great many 
 others. I worked more or less in Elbert county for many 
 years. 
 
Sketch. 141 
 
 Two or three years after the war my wife was stricken 
 with inflammatory rheumatism, which she never recovered 
 from. Her illness kept me a great deal at home. I would 
 only take such occasional trips as necessity compelled. 
 About this time my son was married to Miss Cora McCoy, 
 which made it necessary for me to be at home more than 
 ever. In a year or two, however, she got a good deal bet 
 ter, and I was enabled to do a considerable amount of 
 work. A time or two I attempted to make a little crop at 
 home in the season, and work at my trade in the fall and 
 winter and at odd times. I found to my sorrow that I 
 I could not do two things atone time. I made but little 
 at home and less elsewhere, but I got along as best I could 
 until April, 1889, at which time my wife again became ill 
 and I remained with her until the end. 
 
 Those were dark and sorrowful days. She lingered until 
 the 4th day of November, 1889, when she died, perfectly 
 in her right mind and praising God. She requested her son 
 and husband to meet her in Heaven. Thus died as good 
 a mother, as true a wife and Christian and as kind a 
 neighbor as has ever cheered the course of a husband s 
 life. 
 
 My dear companion snatched away, 
 
 And I am left alone, 
 In grief and sorrow here I stray, 
 
 And like a dove I mourn. 
 
 I wander here like Noah s dove 
 
 That from the Ark was sent, 
 And when the evening shades appear 
 
 My heart is almost spent. 
 
 And when I lay my body down 
 
 Upon my bed to sleep, 
 My dear companion s room I find, 
 
 Which causes me to weep. 
 
 My son got a fine metallic coffin and she was laid to rest 
 at Kahamah church near Brown s Ferry, on the Savannah 
 river, to which church she belogned. 
 
142 Sketch. 
 
 And I am happy to state that my membership is also 
 there. I had attached myself to the church before my 
 wife s illness, to her inexpressible joy. 
 . And let me say to the world that right there by the side 
 of my darling, is where I want to be put when I cease wan- 
 deriug about seeking for the rest I cannot find. 
 
 I will now give a short account of my travels since the 
 death of my wife, and then you will, in all probability, 
 riot hear from me again. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 After the death of my wife I was entirely alone. I re 
 mained in the settlement, staying at night first with one 
 neighbor and then with another, until just before Christ^ 
 mas, when I had my effects taken to Hartwell, Ga.,to rny 
 son s. I remained about Hartwell until the middle of the 
 winter and then moved down to L. H. O. Martin s, three 
 miles below Elberton, in Elbert county, Ga, Martin had 
 been wanting me to live with him for several years. He 
 now wanted me to live with him as one of the family, as 
 he said, and so I did, with the exception that I had a great 
 deal to do, more, in fact, than I cared or was able to do 
 without better pay. I was Avell treated, however, by the 
 entire family. 
 
 In March I left Martin s and went to Piedmont factory, 
 in Greenville county, S. C., where I remained until June, 
 blasting in a well. I then returned to my son s, in Hart- 
 well, and had my things brought back from Martin. I re 
 mained there until the llth of September, and again wer.t 
 back to Piedmont, being promised a room and |1.50 a 
 day. I had my things brought over, but could get no 
 room of my own to put them in. I had to put some 
 at one place and some at another as best I could, and pay 
 board but of my pittance. They gave me the wages, how 
 ever, they had promised me, until about Christmas/ when 
 the superintendent told me I. would have to work for fl.a. 
 
Sketch. 143 
 
 day or nothing. I quit, and had my things moved up to 
 rny sister s, near Woodville, where I have been writing 
 these pages. 
 
 Since my wife s death I cannot content myself long at 
 any one place. 
 
 I am now with my only living sister, my other sisters 
 having died several years ago. My brother Reuben also 
 died several years ago at Westminster, where his widow 
 still lives. Sister Zillah and myself are all that are left of 
 my father s family. 
 
 My sister, too, has seen her share of sorrow. Her hus 
 band was killed in the war, in 1864. Just after the war 
 one of her children died, and a few years subsequently her 
 eldest child, a daughter, who was married and had one 
 child, was drowned, together with her child, in Grove 
 creek. 
 
 My sister now has one unmarried son living with her, 
 named Reuben. 
 
 As I have said, my things, such as I have, are with her, 
 and here they will remain, unless I find a place I can call 
 home, and some one to take care of them. 
 
 I am now done my writing and will be on the wing again. 
 I have no idea where I may go. My son has such a large 
 family it doesn t suit me to live with him. 
 
 I have a hope that this little book and a patent I own 
 for blasting rock without danger from the explosion will 
 enable me yet to have a home of my own to go to. . Let 
 me go where I will, my central office will be Woodville, 
 Greenville county, S. C. In case any one would wish to 
 correspond with me, that will be my post office. 
 
 Hoping that these writings may interest my readers in 
 some degree, I remain yours truly, J. W. REID. 
 
 Woodville, S. C., Jan 20, 1891. 
 
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