Butler and His Cavalry 
 
 IN THE 
 
 War of Secession 
 
 1861-1865 
 
 BY 
 
 U. R. BROOKS 
 
 COMPLETE- IN: ONE -VOLUME 
 
 1909 
 
 THE STATE COMPANY 
 Columbia, S. C. 
 
B577 
 
 COPYRIGHT 1909 
 
 By 
 THE STATE COMPANY 
 
THE JACKET OF GRAY 
 
 BY ELLIE BROOKS JONES 
 
 Gently and tenderly fold it away, 
 The tattered and faded jacket of gray; 
 Bloodstained are the buttons of "C. S. A." 
 
 We loved it so ! when our hopes were brightest, 
 And their valor made our hearts the lightest, 
 And our Cause the purest and the whitest. 
 
 When we count the rosary of our years 
 For the Heroes who died ah ! saddest tears ! 
 For the Knights in gray oh ! glorious cheers. 
 
 Of our dead, we ll sing in a minor song 
 And the sobbing low notes of woe prolong, 
 And we ll lay in a grave all thought of wrong. 
 
 Their honor untarnished bright as the day, 
 Patriots so grand ! we ll love them alway, 
 Oh ! gallant Heroes of the C. S. A. 
 
U. R. BROOKS 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1805. 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 An old man living in Kentucky during the Secession War had 
 two sons ; one enlisted in the Confederate Army and the other in 
 the United States Army. Within twelve months one was brought 
 home dead, and within a short time the other was brought home 
 like his brother, having also been killed in battle. Both w r ere 
 buried in his garden side by side and this inscription was placed 
 upon the monument: "God alone knows which was right. 
 
 It is not left with me to decide who was right or who was 
 wrong. I think that some one should write a history of the gal 
 lant deeds of the men who composed the brigade to which he 
 belonged. I have attempted to write the history of "Butler and 
 his Cavalry." Though very imperfectly done, I console myself 
 because it was the best I could do. 
 
 "History is a brilliant illustration of the past, and leads us into 
 a charmed field of wonder and delight. It reflects the deeds of 
 men, and throws its rays upon the just and unjust, and leads us 
 upward and onward to that mention of facts bearing directly 
 upon a brilliancy surrounding our everyday life as it was and as 
 it is." 
 
 In the language of Gen. Johnson Hagood, "My comrades, it is a 
 long time since we have looked into each other s eyes and grasped 
 each other s hands. In the long ago we together toiled in the 
 weary march and looked upon battle s magnificently stern array ; 
 together we have felt the mad excitement of the charge, the 
 glorious enthusiasm of victory, the sullen anger of defeat; and 
 harder, sterner duties have been our lot. Together we have passed 
 through the valley and the shadow of political reconstruction. 
 We have seen civil rights, sacred from tradition and baptized in 
 the blood of a patriotic ancestry, trampled in the dust. We have 
 seen the accumulations of two centuries of thrift and industry 
 sw^ept away and the State plundered as a ship by a pirate crew. 
 But God fulfills Himself in many ways. 
 
 U. R. BROOKS. 
 
Dedicated 
 
 to the 
 Memory of my Brother 
 
 Whitfield Butler Brooks 
 
 Company B, Sixth S. C. Cavalry 
 
 2 1st July, 1845 12th June, 1864 
 
 Killed at the Battle of Trevillian, Virginia 
 
 Brief, Yet Brave and Glorious Was His Young Career 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 TO THE MEMORY OF WHITFIELD B. BROOKS 
 
 As it is our duty, so it is our sad pleasure, to entwine the laurel 
 with the cypress above the tomb of those who, preferring glory 
 and honor to shame and degradation, sacrificing their ease 
 and comfort for hardships and dangers, have offered up them 
 selves willing sacrifices upon the bleeding altar of their country. 
 
 "Two years ago, with heart bounding high with hope, form 
 elastic with health eyes bright with the enjoyment of life, Whit- 
 field B. Brooks left his parental roof for the tented field, a noble 
 and patriotic ambition, gilding, like the dawning sun, the opening 
 pathway of life. Alas ! in the terrible ordeal, in the fierce colli 
 sion and shock of battle, he has gone down, while honor decks 
 the turf that wraps his clay. 
 
 "He was a member of Company B, Sixth Regiment, South 
 Carolina Cavalry, and, in the language of his captain, was ever at 
 his post and never failing in his duty. On the second day s fight 
 at Trevillian Station, Va., June 12th, 1864, fell this noble boy, 
 pierced through the head by a ball from the enemies of his 
 country, and the despoilers of his native land, ere he had reached 
 the age of nineteen years. His gentle, kind and unassuming man 
 ners that peculiarly endeared him to his parents, won for him the 
 affection of his comrades in arms, and the confidence of his 
 officers. Of quiet habit, energetic and ambitious in his studies, 
 had he lived, and borne out the promise of his youth, he would 
 have culminated an honor to his family, an ornament to society, 
 and in usefulness to his country." 
 
 The above was written in June, 1864, by that gallant soldier 
 and able lawyer, Colonel H. W. Addison, who left a leg on the 
 plains of Virginia. 
 
 Whitfield Butler Brooks, on his paternal side, descended from 
 Captain James Butler, who was massacred by Bloody Bill Cun 
 ningham on Cloud s Creek, Lexington County, S. C., in 1781, who 
 was the father of Elizabeth Butler (a sister of General William 
 Butler, grandfather of General M. C. Butler), who married 
 Zachariah Smith Brooks, whose only son was Whitfield Brooks, 
 who married Mary Parsons Carroll, a sister of Chancellor Carroll, 
 
8 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 in 1818, whose second son was James Carroll Brooks, who was the 
 father of Whitfield Butler Brooks, whose uncles were Preston S. 
 Brooks and Whitfield Butler Brooks, who fell mortally wounded 
 at Cherubusco, Mexico, August 20, 1847, and Hon. John Hamp- 
 den Brooks, now of Greenwood County, S. C. His*oniy aunt was 
 Ellen Brooks, who married General R. G. M. Dunovant. 
 
 On his maternal side he descended from Rev. Peter Robert, 
 who was the first Huguenot minister of the Carolina Colony and 
 settled in St. Johns, Berkeley, in 1690, who was father of John 
 Robert. His son, James Robert, and grandson, John Robert, Jr., 
 whose son, William H. Robert, fought in the Revolution and was 
 the father of Ulysses Maner Robert, whose daughter was Sarah 
 Crawford Robert, married James Carroll Brooks, November 20, 
 1843, and was the mother of Whitfield Butler Brooks, who was 
 born July 21st, 1845. 
 
 "Whitfield B. Brooks, with other young Carolinians, tendered 
 their young lives in obedience to the call of South Carolina, their 
 native State, enlisted as volunteers in the Confederate army, in 
 defense of th<eir homes, and fell in battle, contending for a prin 
 ciple taught them by their fathers, transmitted from preceding 
 generations, accepted, considered and believed by them to be truth 
 eternal." 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 It has been forty-four years since the Confederate sun sank 
 behind the horizon at Appomatox never, never to rise again, and 
 those of us who have survived the waste of time should write 
 something to cherish the memories of our heroes who fell in battle 
 by our side and to recall the gallant deeds that were displayed on 
 the bloody fields in the War of Secession. Whether the deeds were 
 crowned with success or consecrated in defeat, is to idealize prin 
 ciple and strengthen character, intensifying love of country and 
 convert defeat and disaster into pillars of support for future man 
 hood and noble womanhood. 
 
 I had the honor to belong to Butler s Cavalry. The cavalry 
 men were proud of their leader and he was equally proud of them. 
 
 Shall w r e allow the heroic deeds of his brave followers to sink 
 into oblivion ? We are a people with memories of heroic suffering 
 and sacrifices, so let us preserve our history and let it be written 
 by eye-witnesses as the story of Butler and his Cavalry is now 
 being told. 
 
 On the 20th November, 1843, Capt. James Carroll Brooks, of 
 Edgefield, S. C., was happily married to Miss Sarah Crawford 
 Robert, the eldest daughter of Col. and Mrs. Ulysses Maner 
 Robert, at Mt. Pleasant, Barnwell, S. C. This beautiful home was 
 situated between Allendale, S. C., and the Savannah River, and 
 was, by that "prince of incendiaries," Major-General W. T. Sher 
 man, burned to the ground in 1865 in his march of destruction and 
 desolation. 
 
 To this happy couple was born on the 21st July, 1845, Whit- 
 field Butler Brooks, who was killed in battle 12th June, 1864, in 
 the second day s fight at Trevillian, Va. On the 27th October, 
 1846, Ulysses Robert Brooks w r as born to them. My mother of 
 blessed memory Almighty God be praised for creating such a 
 woman was well persuaded that the right or wrong state of 
 human nature depends as necessarily upon the education of 
 children as that of a plant upon proper culture, and that the whole 
 
10 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 of this art consists not only in strengthening the body by suitable 
 exercises, and opening and improving the faculties of the mind 
 by proper studies, but, above all, by forming in youth strong and 
 lasting habits, and inspiring them with the most noble sentiments 
 of all virtues. Well do I remember the beautiful Bible stories 
 she used to tell me. She taught me to fear nothing but to do 
 wrong. She was blessed with a fine intellect and possessed of 
 wonderful energy. She loved the poor and they loved her, no one 
 in want ever left our house with an empty basket. On the 29th 
 December, 1861, God s finger touched her, and she slept. 
 
 I attended school at the Edgefield Male Academy four years. 
 My father served in Kershaw s Brigade in the Peninsula cam 
 paign in 1862, and in the same year was appointed enrolling officer 
 for Edgefield District, and was elected Captain of Co. I, State 
 Troops. On the 21st May, 1899, he went to his reward, full of 
 years and honors. 
 
 In 1862 my brother, Whitfield Butler Brooks, and myself 
 wanted to have a good time and joined the Confederate Cavalry, 
 and incidents of the different battles that our Cavalry participated 
 in are as fresh to me as though they had been fought only last 
 week. There is to me a fascination about a battle that cannot be 
 explained or described. Among other things I learned in the 
 army was that a smooth sea never made a skillful mariner; 
 neither do uninterrupted prosperity and success qualify for use 
 fulness and happiness. The storms of adversity, like the storms 
 of the ocean, arouse the faculties and excite the invention, pru 
 dence, skill and fortitude of the voyager. 
 
 On the 26th April, 1865, when Joe Johnston surrendered his 
 army to Sherman, who had IT to 1, I thought the war was over. 
 Well, it was, collectively, bu;t individually it was still on, and is 
 yet. The battle of life honestly fought is a struggle that requires 
 courage and fortitude. While in the ranks you get lots of encour 
 agement, but when you climb up the hill above the level, oh, how 
 slippery and steep. Those in the ranks will cheer you for a while, 
 and then jealousy will crop out and you will soon discover that for 
 every Caesar there is a Brutus who will, in the absence of his dirk, 
 use his tongue which is keener and a shade more dangerous. Yet I 
 have had, and still have, some friends tried and true, and thank 
 God, I cling to the memory of those that are gone and to the 
 living ones with hooks of steel. 
 
BUTLER AFD His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 11 
 
 In the War of Secession Butler s Cavalry fought some of all 
 nationalities and captured a few of each. I say, without fear 
 of contradiction, that the most cruel of human beings when 
 aroused is the pure white man, and yet the bravest, most enduring, 
 most patient and superior to all races. 
 
 In December, 1864, some of the white men of Grant s Army 
 outraged some of our women and burnt the houses over their 
 heads in Virginia. The ground was frozen and covered with 
 sleet. Gen. M. C. Butler, as soon as apprised of it, at once ordered 
 his men to catch these people and throw them into the flames of 
 the houses. Some had their throats cut before being put into 
 the flames. The most imitative people on earth hail from Africa. 
 Some of them ape the men w r ho committed these outrages and 
 invite their own destruction. 
 
 On the 24th January, 1883, when I hung up my hat in the State 
 House, I said to myself, "This beats plowing," especially if you 
 have to plow on bread and water, as I did on one occasion in 
 the absence of meat. I plowed in the day and studied law at 
 night. Lawyers don t plow, you know. 
 
 I wrote my good friend General Butler not to worry about me, 
 that I liked my surroundings and would stay as long as I could 
 without embarrassing my friends. I am confident that they are 
 not embarrassed, and I am still at my post. "Duty," General Lee 
 said, "was the sublimest word in the English language." My 
 motto is, "Glory be to God on high and peace on earth to men of 
 good will." Let us pray that the others will be good, too. Let 
 us throw the veil of charity over all mankind, for charity is the 
 noblest of all virtues and undoubtedly the rarest practiced. And 
 yet it is a virtue especially loved by God, without which it is 
 impossible to win His favor, and after our duty to Him, He 
 commands us to practice it. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God 
 above all things, and thy neighbor as thyself." 
 
 Here is a Confederate permit: 
 
 Confederate States of America, 
 
 Provost Marshal s Office, 
 First Military District S. C., 
 Charleston, 3d December, 1862. 
 
 Permission is granted to W. B. Brooks and horses to visit Adams Run 
 upon honor not to communicate, in writing or verbally for publication, any 
 
12 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1361-1865. 
 
 fact ascertained, which, known to the enemy, might be injurious to the 
 Confederate States of America. 
 Good for two days. 
 
 WM. J. GAYER, Provost Marshal. 
 
 In 1863 the Conferedate Government had all the horses of our 
 regiment appraised. Here is the form : 
 
 Muster roll of horses and equipments of U. R. Brooks : Bay stallion, 12 
 years old, $1,000.00; equipments, etc. We certify on oath that the figures 
 opposite the name on this roll for the valuation of horse and horse equip 
 ments represent and shows the true cash value of the horse and equip 
 ments of U. R. Brooks at the place of muster, according to our honest, 
 impartial judgment. 
 
 I. 
 
 2 W. D. Evins, First Lieutenant Co. E, 6 S. C. C. j 
 
 3 J. Taggart, First Lieutenant Co. G, 6 S. C. C. } Appn 
 Sworn to and subscribed before 
 
 J. J. GREGG, Captain Co. B, Sixth S. C. C., 
 
 Mustering Officer. 
 
 I certify on honor that I have carefully examined the above mentioned 
 horse and equipments and have accepted them into the Confederate States 
 service for the term of war from this first day of September, 1863. 
 
 J. J. GREGG, Captain Co. B, Sixth S. C. C., 
 
 Mustering Officer. 
 
 SOLDIER S PASSPORT. 
 
 Confederate States of America War Department, 
 
 Richmond, July 17, 1864. 
 
 Permission is granted U. R. Brooks, Co. B, Sixth Cavalry Regiment 
 State of South Carolina, to pass to Edgefield, S. C., (subject to the discre 
 tion of the military authorities. 
 
 J. H. CARRINGTON, 
 Major and Provost Marshal. 
 
 Description: Age, 17 years and eight months; eyes, gray; hair, light 
 brown ; height, 5 feet 7 inches ; complexion, fair. 
 
 J. H. C. 
 
 Although I had a short furlough signed by Butler, Hampton 
 and R. E. Lee, so strict were the orders that the above passport 
 had to be issued before I could leave Richmond. My wound was 
 soon healed and within a short time I was again with the Cavalry. 
 
 U. R. BROOKS. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 13 
 
 SURVIVORS OF BUTLER S BRIGADE FORM 
 ORGANIZATION 
 
 U. R. BROOKS MADE HISTORIAN 
 
 Pursuant to notice, there was a meeting of the survivors of 
 Butler s Brigade in the State House at 11 o clock. Gen. M. C. 
 Butler called the meeting to order and nominated Col. T. J. Lip- 
 scomb, of Columbia, as chairman of the meeting. On motion of 
 Col. U. R. Brooks, Col. Wade H. Manning was requested to act as 
 secretary. 
 
 On motion of Gen. M. C. Butler, a committee on organization, 
 consisting of three members, was appointed as follows: Wade 
 Hampton Manning, U. R. Brooks, J. N. Fowles. 
 
 Gen. M. C. Butler then nominated Comrade U. R. Brooks as the 
 historian of the Association. The nomination was seconded, and 
 Comrade U. R. Brooks was declared elected. 
 
 Comrade Wade H. Manning offered a resolution that the papers 
 throughout South Carolina request members of the First, Second, 
 Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Cavalry to send to Comrade U. R. 
 Brooks, historian, at Columbia, S. C., their names and postoffice 
 addresses at the earliest date possible. The resolution was 
 adopted. 
 
 The survivors present at this meeting were as follows: Maj. 
 Gen. M. C. Butler, Col. T. J. Lipscomb, 2nd S. C. Cavalry; E. A. 
 Bethea, Co. I, 6th S. C. Cavalry; N. B. Eison, Co. K, 5th S. C. 
 Cavalry; J. Newton Fowles, Co. I, 2nd S. C. Cavalry; J. W. 
 Quarles, Co. I, 2nd S. C. Cavalry; J. G. Graham, Co. C, 2nd S. C. 
 Cavalry; T. H. Dick, Co. A, 2nd S. C. Cavalry; J. P. Rawls, Co. 
 
 C, 2nd S. C. Cavalry; Chas. M. Calhoun, Co. C, 6th S. C, Cavalry; 
 John T. Langston, Co. B, 1st S. C. Cavalry; S. T. McKeown, Co. 
 K, 1st S. C. Cavalry; W. W. Miller, Co." C, 1st S. C. Cavalry ; 
 U. R. Brooks, Co. B, 6th S. C. Cavalry; Wade Hampton Man 
 ning, Co. K, (Charleston Light Dragoons) 4th S. C. Cavalry; 
 H. W. Richardson, Co. K, 4th S. C. Cavalry; G. M. Cordes, Co. 
 
 D, 4th S. C. Cavalry; J. H. Blackwell, Co. A, 2nd S. C. Cavalry; 
 J. C. Blackwell, Co. A, 2nd S. C. Cavalry; E. Lide Law, Co. I, 
 6th S. C. Cavalry; T. G. Douglass, Co. C, 6th S. C, Cavalry. 
 
14 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 During the session of the old brigade Mrs. M. C. Robertson, a 
 daughter of Col. Hugh K. Aiken, was presented to the survivors 
 by Gen. M. C. Butler. 
 
 The members deeply regretted the absence o Mrs. Hugh K. 
 Aiken, who is now in the city, and by a unanimous vote Mrs. 
 Aiken was elected an honorary member of the Association. 
 
 There being no further business, the meeting adjourned subject 
 to the call of the chair. 
 
 WADE HAMPTON MANNING, Secretary. 
 
 Wednesday, October 25th, 1905. 
 
GENERAL M. C. BUTLEK 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 17 
 
 BUTLER S CAVALRY 
 
 "Eternal right though all things fail 
 Can never be made wrong." 
 
 Cheerful and merciful in victory, hopeful even in defeat, they 
 rode to death dauntlessly and won many a field. Equaled by 
 some, surpassed by none." 
 
 The cavalryman s life was one of constant danger, sleepless 
 vigil, unending fatigue, and ceaseless activity. He did not flood 
 the soil with offerings of his blood on the great battlefields of the 
 war, but day by day and night by night, in the skirmish, in the 
 picket charge, in the wild dash and on the long raid he hourly 
 laid down his all a sacrifice for the common cause, and when, at 
 the end of the war, he called the roll and the troops rode out for 
 review, the shattered ranks, the star which betokened death, 
 showed a mortality none the less dreadful than among the men 
 who walked in their marches and who on great occasions made 
 great sacrifices at war s demand. 
 
 Let us now describe briefly some events which are in the highest 
 degree typical of what the war demands of the cavalrymen. 
 
 Survivors of the First, Second, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth 
 Cavalry, who rode by Butler s side, have you forgotten the 9th, 
 10th, llth and 12th of October, 1862, when you forded the 
 Potomac on the morning of the 10th at early dawn and proceeded 
 to Mercersburg and thence to Chambersburg, and how you housed 
 yourselves in the quiet and quaint old town, well up in the boun 
 daries of the Quaker State? Twenty hours and eighty-one miles, 
 No sleep ; no rest ; galloping, fighting, scouting and ready to assail 
 any enemy, with human endurance tested to the greatest possible 
 limit. 
 
 Have you forgotten the 9th of June, 1863, at Brandy Station, 
 where the gallant Col. Frank Hampton was killed and Butler lost 
 his leg ? Have you forgotten Gettysburg, on the 2nd day of July, 
 when General Hampton was so badly wounded by the sabres of 
 the enemy? Have you forgotten the 28th of May, 1864, at Hawe s 
 Shop, 30th May, 1864, at Cold Harbor, and the 3rd of June, 1864, 
 at Second Cold Harbor, where Grant lost thirteen thousand men 
 
 2 B. c. 
 
18 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 in one hour ? Have you forgotten the hard fighting at Trevillian 
 on the llth and 12th of June, 1864, where Butler s Division, con 
 sisting of 2,224 men, fought and routed Sheridan with ten thou 
 sand of the best equipped cavalry that ever drew sabre; and the 
 28th of June at Sappony Church, where Butler took one hundred 
 men and surprised and routed Wilson with three thousand fresh 
 troops ; and how you were in the saddle for twenty-one days and 
 nights, and how you fought at Lee s Mill? Have you forgotten 
 the 23rd of August, at Monck Neck Bridge, and Ream s Station 
 25th of August, where the sabre and bayonet shook hands on the 
 enemy s breastworks and Butler won his spurs as Major-General, 
 and on the 16th September at City Point you helped to capture 
 all of Grant s cattle; and the battle of the 1st day of October, 
 McDowells Farm, where General John Dunnovant was killed 
 leading the charge ; and the Battle of Burgesse s Mill, 27th Octo 
 ber, 1864; and Warren s raid to Stoney Creek, and from thence 
 to Columbia in January, 1865, and how we harassed Sherman s 
 Army; and the surprise on Kilpatrick s camp, 10th March, near 
 Fayetteville ; and the Battle of Averysboro and Bentonville, N. C. 
 
 "Fate denied us victory, but it crowned us w T ith a glorious 
 immortality." 
 
 Shall we preserve the history that we made or not? The best 
 way to keep the record straight is by Companies and Regiments. 
 Will you, comrades, write what you remember of our glorious 
 cause and forward this information to me, as your historian, to be 
 handed down to future generations ? Tell us of the days when all 
 was lost. There were those even in such an hour who made decla 
 ration of their constancy and devotion to that cause to which they 
 had already sacrificed their fortunes, and now anew tendered 
 their lives. And the history of that moment glorifies the manly 
 courage and gives those who participated in it a place in the 
 brightest pages which perpetuate human heroism. 
 
 Butler s Cavalry was easily distinguished from other com 
 mands. They rode with military primness and were mounted on 
 steeds of delicately-shaped limbs, with glistening eyes and full of 
 fire and motion. At their head rode M. C. Butler, then in the full 
 bloom of manhood and looking every inch the soldier that he was 
 by nature. 
 
 Fraternally, 
 
 U. R. BROOKS. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 19 
 
 THE WAR HORSE SNIFFS THE BATTLE AFAR OFF 
 
 Every man who served in the Army of Northern Virginia 
 remembers "Old Traveler, General Lee s famous war horse, and 
 all the soldiers who fought under Stonewall Jackson never can 
 forget "Old Sorrel," which was the only horse the great flanker 
 rode during the War of Secession. He rode "Old Sorrel" to the 
 very death. Where is the cavalryman who followed Wade Hamp 
 ton that has forgotten his beautiful charger Butler"? It was 
 with this horse that General Hampton made the charges at 
 Gettysburg and Trevillian Station. 
 
 General Butler could not keep a horse long at a time, because 
 nearly every fight that he led his cavalry into his horse was shot. 
 I am confident that he had more horses shot under him than any 
 general in Lee s Army. He had some splendid mounts, but the 
 Yankees took great pleasure in shooting them. 
 
 Jack Shoolbred loved his beautiful horse "Don" almost as 
 much as Prioleau Henderson was devoted to his admirable little 
 gray "Arab" that he rode through the war in Butler s Cavalry. 
 General Hampton rode him in 1876 at Green Pond. * "Arab" 
 lived to be twenty-seven years old. 
 
 Job says: "Hast thou given the horse strength; hast thou 
 clothed his neck with thunder; canst thou make him afraid as a 
 grasshopper? The glory of his nostrils is terrible. He paweth 
 in the valley and rejoiceth in his strength. He smelleth the battle 
 afar off, the thunder and the captains and the shouting." Job 
 goes on to say, "the snorting of his horses was heard from Dan; 
 the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong 
 ones." Wherever the horse is introduced into Biblical history, 
 it is readily seen that he is second only to the pretty woman in 
 the estimation of man. It is only in these cold, selfish, grasping, 
 mercenary generations that the horse is sacrificed upon the altar 
 of cruelty and greed with as little regard for his comfort and 
 sensibilities as though he was a piece of inanimate machinery. 
 Drive him, starve him, lash him, spur him, kill him, he is nothing 
 but a horse. Some are guilty of this bad treatment to this, the 
 
20 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 noblest of animals, through ignorance, and some through unadul 
 terated "cussedness." 
 
 The trough from which the horse takes his feed should not be 
 raised higher than his knees, because the muscles of his throat 
 are so constructed that he swallows with difficulty when his head 
 is elevated. When you water your horse from a bucket, don t 
 hold it up to him, but put it on the ground. If you hold it up 
 high he makes a noise in drinking and his ears jerk every time he 
 swallows because of the spasmodic action of the muscles of deglu 
 tition. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 21 
 
 GENERAL BUTLER S LAST WAR HORSE 
 
 At a meeting of "The Empire State Society of the Sons of the 
 American Revolution," held in the city of New York on June 3, 
 1898, Vice-President John C. Calhoun presiding, the following 
 action was taken : 
 
 Resolved, That the thanks of the Society are hereby extended to Com 
 patriot William McKinley, President of the United States, for the patriotic 
 action and discernment which he has manifested in appointing Matthew C. 
 Butler, of the State of South Carolina, to be a Major-General in the United 
 States Army, Volunteer service, and Frederick Dent Grant, of the State of 
 New York, to be a Brigadier-General in the United States Army, Volunteer 
 service. 
 
 Resolved, That this Society directs that a horse, with appropriate accou 
 trements for army service, be presented to Major-General Matthew C. But 
 ler, and that a sword, with appropriate belongings, be presented to Briga 
 dier-General Frederick Dent Grant. 
 
 Resolved, That a committee, consisting of John C. Calhoun, Edward Pay- 
 son Cone, James Marcus King, Thomas Wilson, and Horatio C. King, be 
 appointed to carry out the action here ordered, and that the Treasurer of 
 the Society be instructed to honor the draft of the committee for the 
 requisite amount of funds. 
 
 Resolved, That the "Empire State Society of the Sons of the American 
 Revolution," a purely patriotic Society, with membership based on lineal 
 descent from the participants in the American Revolution, and among 
 whose objects are "the fostering of patriotism, maintaining and extending 
 the institutions of American freedom," takes this action for the purpose of 
 recognizing and expressing its gratitude for the unmistakable evidences 
 that sectionalism is at an end under the government our fathers founded, 
 and that we are an undivided nation facing a foreign foe, with a common 
 patriotism uniting all our hearts as citizens of the great American Repub 
 lic. 
 
 Resolved, That engrossed copies of this action, signed by the committee, 
 be presented to President McKinley, to Major-General Butler and to Briga 
 dier-General Grant. 
 
 JOHN C. CALHOUN, Chairman, 
 EDW. PAY SON CONE, 
 JAMES MARCUS KING, 
 THOMAS WILSON, 
 HORATIO KING, 
 
 Committee. 
 
 New York City, N. Y., June 3, 1808. 
 
22 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Presentation to General Butler 
 
 "General Butler was presented with a horse and accoutrements 
 at five o clock yesterday afternoon, 5 July, 1898, by a committee 
 from the Sons of the American Revolution. At thg same time the 
 committee, through a letter, presented General Grant, at Chick- 
 amauga, with a sword and belt. Previous to either of the pre 
 sentations, President McKinley was presented by the same 
 commitee with a set of resolutions bound in morocco. The pre 
 sentation address was made by Rev. James M. King. He said : 
 
 " Major- General Butler: I am honored by a commission from 
 the members of the Empire State Society of the Sons of the 
 American Revolution to present to you a horse with accoutre 
 ments for your use in leading such forces of the United States as 
 shall be subject to your command. You are to command troops 
 from States against which you contended in past years, and 
 among them will be found the sons of sires whom you then faced 
 in battle, and they will be glad to follow where you lead. It must 
 be a gratificatoin to you to know that the veterans of the Civil 
 War, both North and South, approve on military grounds the 
 fitness of your appointment as Major-General in the United States 
 volunteer army. The press, with great unanimity, and thoughtful 
 citizens with entire unanimity, commend the President s wisdom 
 and patriotism in selecting you. You made a brilliant and 
 historic military record in the Confederate Army. When peace 
 and union were restored, you ably represented your State for 
 many years in the senate of the United States. You are of a 
 Revolutionary lineage that founded the republic and fought on 
 sea and land for its perpetuation. You bear an honored name in 
 American history and you have honored the name. Your fellow- 
 citizens recognize the skill, valor and courage which won for you 
 military renown, leaving their abiding marks upon your person, 
 in a cause in which you believed, and now gratefully recognize 
 the patriotism which leads you to loyally place that tried skill, 
 valor, and courage at the service of our united country in a contest 
 which has already reconstructed the map of the world, in the 
 interests of civil liberty and Christian civilization. When at the 
 head of your forces, mounted on this noble charger, you enter 
 battle, remember that the eyes of the American people are not 
 only upon you, but their hearts are with you; that you are con- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 23 
 
 tending for the principles for which your Revolutionary sires 
 contended, and that the nations of the entire world are watching 
 for the results of a war waged by this republic, now mighty in its 
 oneness of strength, for the most unselfish purpose which ever 
 stirred the heart of a nation. May this horse carry you fearlessly 
 in battle at the head of victorious legions, while you remember, 
 and we remember that your safety is of the Lord ." 
 
 Address of Major-General M. C. Butler 
 
 Dr. King and Gentlemen of The Empire State Society of the 
 Sons of the American Revolution : It is impossible for me to 
 convey to you an adequate expression of my profound gratitude 
 for the honor you do me today. To be selected by a society of 
 such distinguished citizens for so conspicuous a testimonial of 
 your approbation and good will is a compliment to be cherished 
 by any man. 
 
 The occasion, the environments, the day, are all significant of 
 a new departure, a new epoch in our national history, not that 
 this quiet, informal ceremony is itself an epoch, but an incident 
 of a gratifying condition in our national life. 
 
 Such a scene as this could not occur in any other country on 
 earth. In casting about for an explanation, I think it is to be 
 found under two heads. 1st, We are the same race of people; 
 2nd, We are brought up under the same system of popular gov 
 ernment, and I might add a third, we are a people of emi 
 nently strong, practical, common sense. With us there is no 
 question of Anglo-Saxon or Celt, Teuton or Latin, Slav or anti- 
 Slav. We are all Americans, and have always been devoted to the 
 principles of a constitutional republic. So that when our family 
 quarrel was settled, usually the most bitter of all quarrels, we 
 agreed to disagree, and each put his shoulder to the wheel for the 
 general welfare of all the people and for the perpetuity of popular 
 government, after eliminating, in blood and sorrow, the institu 
 tion of slavery. No sensible man anywhere wants it restored. 
 
 Now that we are at war with a foreign power, provoked by a 
 half century of irritating provocations on the part of Spain, 
 neither one of which, taken singly, would be a fair cause of war, 
 but taken in the aggregate left no other alternative for us, there 
 is no difference of opinion anywhere in this great family of 
 
24 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 seventy odd millions of American people. We are all of one mind 
 as to the general policy, differing, perhaps, as we have a right to 
 differ under this free government of ours, as to details. 
 
 It is proper in this connection that I should say, no man in our 
 generation has had such an opportunity to driv*e the last spike 
 into the coffin of sectional estrangement and cement the bonds of 
 national fraternity as the present distinguished Chief Magistrate 
 of the United States. And no man could have availed himself 
 of that opportunity more effectually. Doing all that he could, 
 like a man of sense, and a patriotic American that he is, with the 
 great powers of his office, to avert hostilities with Spain, he has 
 met the dire alternative with a firmness, tact, consideration and 
 respect for the opinions of others worthy of the highest praise. 
 He has set his face steadily and unflinchingly to the maintenance 
 of our national honor and character, and deserves, as he will 
 receive, the cordial support of the American people. 
 
 But, gentlemen, I am about to be betrayed into saying much 
 more than I intended. Never in our history have the American 
 people been so united in heart and purpose as they are today, the 
 one hundred and twenty-second anniversary of our Independence. 
 Let us re-subscribe to the oath of allegiance taken by our fathers 
 one hundred and twenty-two years ago, and see to it that no harm 
 shall come to our constitutional government. 
 
 In return for your very great compliment to me, I can only 
 promise to perform every duty that may devolve upon me, if not 
 with ability, at least faithfully and conscientiously. The best of 
 us can do no more. 
 
 I can safely promise for the splendid body of American soldiers 
 in tHis camp, that Avhen the opportunity presents itself they will 
 not allow themselves to be /eclipsed by their immortal comrades 
 who, in front of Santiago, have so gloriously sustained the char 
 acter of the American soldier for courage, dash and invincible 
 audacity. All honor to their splendid bravery and heroism ! We 
 only await an opportunity to emulate their glorious example. 
 
 Pardon one word more. With that go-ahead-ativeness, don t- 
 stop-to-count-the-costs for which we have become somewhat 
 famous, we are inclined to anticipate events and jump to con 
 clusions, before those events are ripe for final judgment. We 
 hear an occasional wail of the dangers of conquest, imperialism, 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 25 
 
 militarism, what ought to be done with this territorial acquisition 
 and all that. Let us possess our souls in patience, with the well- 
 grounded assurance that all these questions will be justly settled 
 when we reach them, settled in accordance with the best interests 
 of the American people, without regard to the wishes or whims or 
 caprices of any other nation. 
 
 The cry of imperialism has no terrors for me. We are not 
 made of the stuff that tolerates imperialism. The military arm 
 of the government will be the last of our institutions to imperil 
 popular liberty or jeopardize constitutional government. The 
 military is held subordinate to the civil power, and will continue 
 so until the civil power is sapped and mined by demoralization. 
 TTe can only do our duty under the constitution and laws as 
 soldiers, at the same time holding on to our rights and duties as 
 citizens of a free republic. 
 
 Gentlemen, I accept this superb horse and splendid trappings 
 with a sense of my deepest gratitude and with the solemn promise 
 that I shall endeavor always to keep his head to the front, in the 
 direction of the national honor and welfare. To you, individually 
 and collectively, I extend my most cordial obeisance and respect. 
 
26 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 GENERAL WILLIAM BUTLER 
 
 (By T. P. Slider, A. D. 187T.) * 
 
 The subject of this memoir was born in Prince William county, 
 Va., in 1759. His father, Captain James Butler, emigrated with 
 his family to South Carolina, and settled in what was called then, 
 the District of "96," a few years before the opening of the Revo 
 lution. The circumstances of the times, pregnant then with the 
 seeds of revolution, were such that every loyal-minded Whig was 
 deeply interested in the affairs of the colonies. To doubt and 
 waver was characteristic of the Tories. Captain Butler and his 
 four sons were true patriots, imbued w T ith the principle that- 
 come what would they w r ould battle for the rights of the colonies 
 to the death. The times grew warmer and warmer politically, 
 and they prepared to take an active part in the scenes that were 
 approaching. Actuated by a desire to put his house in order 
 before the fury of the storm was upon him, he commenced to 
 arange his domestic affairs; but before he had completed his 
 arrangements, he was earnestly called upon to engage in the 
 public concerns of the country. Without a moment s hesitation, 
 he entered cheerfully in the snow-camp expedition under General 
 Richardson. After this, he was with General Williamson in his 
 expedition against the Cherokee Indians in 1779. 
 
 When the conflict which had been raging in the North was 
 transferred by a new movement, as a change of base in warlike 
 operations, of from North to South, the war may be said to have 
 been inverted. Then it was the North was abandoned by the 
 British for a time, and South Carolina and the adjacent settle 
 ments became the principal theatre of offensive operations. Upon 
 the call for General Lincoln, who had been placed in command of 
 the Southern forces, Captain Butler repaired at once to head 
 quarters, which was located near Augusta, Ga. Unfortunately he 
 was taken sick, and became unable to follow the army in the sub 
 sequent campaign. From this period few events of revolutionary 
 interest occurred in the upper districts of the State until after the 
 fall of Charleston. The capitulation of the forces in the city, and 
 the dispersion or retreat of the small detached corps which had 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 27 
 
 kept the field during the siege, was regarded by the royal com 
 mander as a restoration of British authority, and both civil and 
 military organizations were arranged to maintain it. The inhab 
 itants of the State were called upon to swear allegiance to British 
 authority and take British protection. The village of Ninety- Six 
 was designated as a place for the citizens of the surrounding 
 country to appear at for this purpose. The proclamation was con 
 sidered delusive, and many persons appeared on the specified day 
 without fully understanding its import. Among them was Cap 
 tain James Butler, who, when informed of what was demanded 
 of him, positively refused to conform to the terms of the procla 
 mation. The British officer in command immediately put him in 
 irons and threw him in Ninety-Six jail, from whence he was 
 transferred to Charleston, where he was confined in the "provost" 
 for eighteen months. Upon his release from this severe and 
 lengthened imprisonment, which occurred in the latter part of 
 December, 1781, he returned once more to his home, where he 
 remained about three weeks; when he was called on to seal with 
 his life his devotion to the cause, for Avhich he had already suf 
 fered so much. The incidents of the bloody tragedy in which he 
 died can be paralleled only in the annals of civil strife. 
 
 From the beginning of the contest with the mother country, a 
 difference of opinion had existed in the State upon the subject. 
 South Carolina had been a province of the Crown. The griev 
 ances complained of by the commercial colonies were unfelt by 
 her. The Tories, or scouilites, insisted that the King had laid no 
 new burdens or taxes on the people, and that, therefore, their 
 opposition to the royal government was groundless. The act as 
 it respected South Carolina was true, but the conclusion drawn 
 from it did not follow. No new burdens had been laid on the 
 inhabitants of the province of Carolina, but the most grievous 
 had been laid on Massachusetts, in pursuance of principles which 
 equally applied to Carolina, and struck at the foundation of her 
 boasted rights. The fact is, a strong conservative feeling per 
 vaded a large class of her people. This feeling was strongest in 
 the up-country. There the inhabitants took arms from the begin 
 ning. Upon both sides of the question there were to be found 
 rash, hard-headed, impulsive, ignorant, prejudiced men, and the 
 contest became fierce, merciless and bloody. Outrage and 
 
28 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 tyranny, producing reprisals, assumed a savage, guerrilla char 
 acter, in which says General Greene: "The inhabitants pursued 
 each other like wild beasts, killing each other, robbing each other 
 without regard to age, condition or sex, as well as plundering and 
 firing barns, houses and whatever came to hand. 
 
 A marauding party of royalists made an incursion into the 
 neighborhood of Mount Willing, in Edgefield District, near which 
 Captain Butler lived, carrying off considerable booty. The result 
 was, a band of Whigs was formed immediately for the pursuit 
 and punishment of the bandits. Captain Butler was called upon 
 to take command of the party. At first he positively refused to 
 do so, alleging that the hardships and sufferings he had endured 
 in prison had rendered him at that time utterly unfit to take 
 charge of such an expedition, and therefore should exempt him 
 from the undertaking. 
 
 The majority of the men excused him on these grounds, but his 
 son, James Butler, one of the party, refused to continue with the 
 expedition, unless his father assumed the command. Captain 
 Butler yielded to the appeal of his son, and consented to go at his 
 request, but simply as an adviser ; the active command being in a 
 man by the name of Turner. Pursuit being instituted, the Roy 
 alists were overtaken, defeated and dispersed at Farrar s Spring, 
 in Lexington District, S. C., and the horses and cattle, which they 
 had captured, recaptured. On their return with the captured 
 booty, being highly exhilarated with their success, and rendered 
 more particularly so by an improper use of peach brandy, which 
 they had captured in the fight, they concluded to stop at a place 
 on Cloud s Creek for the night and encamp, notwithstanding the 
 appeals and urgent remonstrances of Captain Butler, who insisted 
 on moving forward all night. Finding his advice disregarded as 
 to advancing, he counseled the necessity of the ordinary military 
 precautions against surprise, of placing out sentinels, but they 
 turned a deaf ear to all advice. They were mostly young men, of 
 but little experience, yet confident, as youth is, and then the 
 worst of it, under the influence of liquor. Their success and 
 indulgence had rendered them overweeningly reckless, conceited 
 and careless, just as we find them today. It was not known then 
 exactly who were the Loyalists, as they were sometimes called, 
 they had pursued and whom they had discomfited; but the next 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 29 
 
 morning demonstrated the wisdom and sagacity of the advice 
 given by the gray-headed counselor, Captain Butler. They 
 proved to have been a detached party connected with a larger 
 band, for about sunrise this band, amounting to some three hun 
 dred men, guided by some of the escaped, discomfited party, under 
 the lead, too, of one of the bravest and most skillful partisans of 
 the Royal side, yet sanguinary, vindictive, relentless, and unfor 
 giving, to-wit: Bloody Bill Cunningham, was seen approaching, 
 who at once attacked the camp. Taken almost by surprise, and 
 by this time to a certain degree disorganized, the little squad of 
 imprudent Whigs, about thirty in number, nevertheless rallied for 
 a moment and took refuge in an unfinished log house without 
 doors or windows. In the meantime the house was surrounded by 
 Cunningham s men when firing commenced. After a few 
 moments of rapid discharges, a demand of surrender peremptorily 
 was made. Its terms were inquired of by the Whigs, and the 
 response was of the Tory leader, "they were unconditional," but 
 that he would receive a communication from them. Upon this 
 Smallwood Smith, one of the party, was selected to perform the 
 duty. Upon presenting himself, Cunningham s first inquiry was, 
 "Who are of your party?" 
 
 Upon learning that young James Butler, the son of Captain 
 Butler, who had been engaged in an affair in which one Radcliff, 
 a noted Tory, was killed, was among them, he determined at once 
 to give no terms that would exempt this young man from his 
 vengeance. Cunningham was well acqainted with the father, 
 having served with him in the expedition against the Indians, to 
 which allusion has already been made. It is said that Cunning 
 ham had rather a strong liking and partiality for him, and would 
 have entertained terms of friendly capitulation with the party 
 had it not been for the presence of the son. Captain James But 
 ler sent Cunningham a message that if he would spare the life of 
 his son, he would make an unconditional surrender of himself. 
 Young Butler, however, learning Cunningham s animosity to 
 himself, and entertaining the impression that his father and him 
 self would be sacrificed in the event of any surrender, determined 
 to run all hazards of a contest of arms, and fearlessly informed 
 his father that he would settle the terms of capitulation. So on 
 the first opportunity that presented itself, he commenced the com- 
 
30 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 bat anew by killing a Tory by the name of Stewart. It is said 
 that negotiations had been entered into to save the officers and 
 sacrifice the privates ; but be this as it may, this demonstration of 
 courage concluded the parley, and young Butler (but nineteen 
 years of age,) received a mortal wound in the fferce conflict that 
 folloAved, while kneeling to pick his flint for a discharge. The 
 gallant but expiring boy called his father, who had come upon 
 the expedition at his request, unarmed, simply as a counselor, to 
 his side, handed him his rifle and told him there were yet a few 
 bullets in his pouch and to revenge his death. The father took 
 the gun and discharged it against the enemy until the ammunition 
 was expended. The death of young Butler produced a panic in 
 the little party, contending against such hopeless odds, and the 
 result was unconditional surrender. After a formal meeting and 
 consultation of the officers of the Tory squad, under the guidance 
 of the bloodthirtsy and execrable chieftain Cunningham, the 
 terrific order was issued to put them all to the unsparing sword 
 of retaliation and revenge. Two of the number managed to 
 escape; the balance were shot down and slaughtered where they 
 stood. Captain James Butler caught up a pitchfork that was 
 lying around and defended himself until his right hand was 
 severed by a sabre stroke, and his life ended by a rifle ball. The 
 tragedy did not cease here. A detachment of the Tories under the 
 command of Prescott, a subordinate leader, was left to meet any 
 burying party that might be sent to inter the bodies of the 
 mangled victims, and especially to meet the subject of our 
 memoir, then a Captain of Rangers, who it was expected would 
 hasten to the spot. But William Butler was too far from the sad 
 locality to be present even at the funeral ceremonies. 
 
 In those days, when population was sparse and when the pas 
 sions of men, like as today, embittered by fierce political strife, 
 swelled to uncontrollable heights, smothering every kindly feel 
 ing and engendering hate and animosity of the most malignant 
 nature, it seemed utterly impossible for them to act upon the 
 principles of mercy, love and charity. Under the circumstances 
 and excitement of the times, it would have been madness and 
 sheer folly for the Whigs, unless strongly supported, to have 
 undertaken the burial of their dead without an agreement. In 
 this crisis, when headstrong passion got the reins of reason, like a 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 31 
 
 ship dashed by fierce encountering tides becomes the sport of wind 
 and wave, and there seemed no prospect or way of coming to any 
 terms; for the Tories were relentless and determined, and the 
 Whigs powerless to act, there appeared on the arena of strife a 
 new actor; one who has played a prominent part in the history of 
 the world ; in the plucking of an apple in the Garden of Eden ; 
 the mothership of the Saviour, and the appropriation of gorgeous 
 jewelry when kings refused to act; thereby aiding to develop and 
 lay open to view by degrees along the shores of the unremitting 
 stream of the centuries, that have glided into the present in the 
 universe of God, for the benefit of man a new continent and a 
 new world that stands today at the head of nations. This actor 
 was woman. Aye! it was woman who stepped between the 
 combatants and advanced with more than Spartan courage and 
 devotion to perform the rites of interment. It was woman with 
 her wisdom who carried and decided the difficulty. Souls know 
 no difference of sexes ; though man may be said to be the lord, it 
 does not follow he has the monopoly of brain or courage or 
 patriotism. Many a masculine heart and more than masculine 
 has been found in a female breast ; nor is the treasure of wisdom, 
 or any of the nobler characteristics, the less valuable for being 
 lodged in the weaker vessel. Truthfully has the poet said 
 
 " Tis woman s band that smooths affliction s bed, 
 Wipes the cold sweat and stays the sinking head." 
 
 Sages may teach, poets may sing, and philosophers reason, but 
 nature made woman to temper man. Without her man would 
 have been a brute a savage influenced by passions and appe 
 tites, living serpents that would have wound like the gorgons 
 round him; strangling those virtues which constitute his hap 
 piness and cheers him on to a happier shore. In the darkest hour 
 of man s earthly ills, her affection and her courage rises and glows 
 
 "Throbs with each pulse, and beats with every thrill." 
 
 Mrs. Sarah Smith, a sister of Captain James Butler, the father, 
 (whose wife at this time was confined to her bed) with a number 
 of other ladies, wives, mothers and sisters of the dead, hastened 
 to the bloody scene to engage in their burial; Captain Butler s 
 
32 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 body was recognized by his severed hand. The mangled and 
 unmercifully beaten bodies of the rest were so disfigured that it 
 was impossible to recognize them. However, young Butler was 
 supposed to be identified by his female relatives present. To the 
 honor of the women present be it said, that with* spade and hoe 
 in hand they set to work, dug the trench and consiged to their 
 resting-place the bodies of the murdered Whigs, save Captain 
 Butler and his son, who were placed in a separate grave, prepared 
 by his sister and relatives, which was marked at the time, and 
 over which, in after years, was reared an humble monument, the 
 tribute of filial piety. 
 
 "And though the mound that mark d their names, 
 
 Beneath the wings of time, 
 Has worn away ! Their s is the fame 
 
 Immortal and sublime, 
 For who can tread on Freedom s plain 
 
 Nor wake her dead to life again." 
 
 It was about the time of this sad event that General Lincoln 
 issued a proclamation from his camp at Black s Swamp, near 
 Augusta, that William Butler, the subject of this memoir, 
 repaired to his standard as lieutenant of militia. The American 
 leader s purpose was with the view, Ramsay says, of limiting the 
 British to the sea coast of Georgia, as well as of its reclamation. 
 Leaving a corps of observation at Purysburg, under Moultrie, he 
 marched with the main army up the Savannah river, that he 
 might impart confidence to the country, and crossed high up ; but 
 he had scarcely done so, when his sagacious adversary, Prevost, 
 availing himself of the critical time, and finding his way open 
 to Charleston, made a brilliant dash for the capture of that city, 
 and had nearly succeeded. When Prevost crossed the Savannah 
 river, Charleston was almost wholly defenceless. Such a move as 
 an invasion on the land side was unexpected. Lincoln, nevertheless? 
 Prevost s move, pursued his original intention, from an idea that 
 Prevost meant nothing more than to divert him from his intended 
 operations in Georgia, by a feint of attempting the capital of 
 South Carolina. In the meantime Moultrie threw himself in his 
 path, met him at Willisling and Coosawhatchee, and by a defen 
 sive, masterly retreat, delayed his advance until field works 
 sufficient to withstand an assault could be thrown up for defence 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 33 
 
 of the city. During these events Lincoln hastily marched back 
 from the interior of Georgia, recrossed the Savannah river, and 
 pushed on after Prevost with hasty strides, while Governor 
 Kutledge, with 600 militia from Orangeburg, and Colonel Harris, 
 with 300 Continental troops from the vicinity of Augusta, were 
 striving to get ahead of Prevost and reinforce Moultrie. Having 
 a knowledge of these things, Prevost advanced to Watson s, about 
 a mile from the lines. As the garrison were unprepared for a 
 siege, they stood to their arms all night. Presuming that Lin 
 coln was close behind Prevost, to gain time for his coming up, 
 they sent a message to Prevost, requesting to know on what terms 
 a capitulation would be granted ; this was a ruse. Whatever was 
 the presumption of the Whigs, as to what effect this trick might 
 have, on the next morning Prevost and his army were gone, 
 retreating by way of the islands, to Savannah. The militia of 
 the up-country were then discharged; but William Butler, who 
 was connected with the detachment engaged in the action at 
 Stono, remained and attached himself to Pulaski s legion, in 
 which he served the remainder of the campaign of 1779. He was 
 with the gallant Pole until his death at the siege of Savannah, 
 and always spoke of him as a bold, dashing dragoon officer, and 
 complimented his memory by naming one of his grandsons after 
 him. 
 
 During the captivity of his father in Charleston, already 
 narrated, all the responsibilities of family obligations devolved 
 on William Butler. It was at this time, too, the time immediately 
 succeeding the fall of Charleston, when sprang into existence 
 that brilliant roll of partisan leaders Marion, Sumter, Butler, 
 Gandy, the Postells, Benson, Greene, Conyers, McCauley, 
 McCottry, Ryan, Watson, and others of South Carolina, whose 
 achievements threw such a halo of glory and gorgeous chivalry 
 over the war in the South, that 
 
 "The tilt, the tournament, the vaulted hall, 
 Fades in its glory on the spirit s eye, 
 And fancy s bright and gay creation all 
 Sinks into dust, when reason s searching glance 
 Unmasks the age of Knighthood and romance." 
 
 It was about this time that Washington appointed, at the 
 request of Congress, General Greene to take command of the 
 
 3 B. c. 
 
34 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 forces in the Southern District, which he did in August, 1780. 
 From this time the depression and gloominess, which had settled 
 like a funeral pall over the minds of many of the people upon 
 the fall of Charleston, began to disappear, until it was entirely 
 removed from public sentiment, and South Carolina rose like a 
 Phcenix from the ashes and became one of the most heroic and 
 warlike colonies of the Kevolutionary league. 
 
 General Greene s movements on Ninety-Six is a matter of his 
 tory. At that time William Butler was serving under General 
 Pierson on the Carolina side of the Savannah river near Augusta. 
 He was present at the siege of Augusta, and after the fall of that 
 place, having been detailed by General Pickens to attend Colonel 
 Lee to Ninety- Six, then being besieged also, he had the honor of 
 being present at the interview between Greene and Lee, in which 
 the latter suggested the attack upon the stockade. General Butler 
 always expressed himself with much emphasis when speaking of 
 this interview, repeating the words of Lee, "That the spring must 
 be taken." To which Greene replied by saying, "How can it be 
 done without a general assault?" Lee responded, "Allow me to 
 take the stockade on the opposite side, and my guns will soon drive 
 them from the water." The stockade was taken, and the garrison 
 deprived of the use of the spring. An operation which it has 
 been contended by military critics, if accomplished at a certain 
 period of the siege, would have resulted in the fall of the place 
 before it could have been relieved. As it was, Cruger, command 
 ing the garrison, managed to prolong his defense by sinking wells 
 in the star redoubt. Terms of capitulation had been proposed, 
 which Greene refused, believing he could still take the place by 
 pushing the sap against the star redoubt. The approach of Lord 
 Rawdon with a relieving force blasted his hopes. A corps was 
 detached to meet Rawdon, while an assault upon an incomplete 
 breach was hazarded. Some skirmishing between Rawdon s 
 advance guard and this corps took place near Saluda Old Town, 
 in which some were killed and several wounded. A young lieu 
 tenant from Virginia, by the name of Wade, was shot, and as he 
 fell from his saddle, for he w T as mounted with a genuine 
 trooper s care for his steed forgetting himself he exclaimed to 
 his comrades, "Don t let my horse, boys, fall into the hands of the 
 enemy." Fortunately there was a settler close by, by the name of 
 Sam Savage, to whose house he was removed. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 35 
 
 The American forces fell back, and marched toward the Enoree 
 river. But a short time after this little skirmish, a young dragoon 
 officer who was in pursuit of Greene, with a white plume and the 
 cockade of the Whigs in his hat, accompanied by an orderly, rode 
 up to Savage s, where the wounded young lieutenant was lying, 
 made inquiries, and learned from his stepdaughter in the house, 
 who had just returned from the vicinity of Ninety-Six, that the 
 siege was raised, and that Greene s forces had fallen back in full 
 retreat, crossed Saluda at the Island Ford, with Lee s legion 
 bringing up the rear. This young officer was Captain William 
 Butler, and, strange to say, this was his first meeting with the 
 lady, whom he subsequently married. He had been detached 
 from the army at Ninety-Six some weeks before, upon some sepa 
 rate service under General Henderson, from whom he derived his 
 commission as captain in 1781. He determined in his mind at 
 once to join the retreating army, and being told that two strag 
 glers from Rawdon s command were down in Savage s low 
 grounds taking the plantation horses, he took them prisoners, 
 and, mounting one of them behind himself and the other behind 
 his orderly, swam the Saluda river near what is now called 
 Bozeman s Ferry, and joined Lee about ten miles from the Island 
 Ford on the Newberry side. He learned from the prisoners that 
 Rawdon had pushed forward a strong light corps, embracing 
 cavalry and infantry, in hot pursuit of the retreating Americans. 
 
 When William Butler came up with Lee, he informed him of 
 the pursuit, and the information came none too soon. Lee had 
 halted his command, and Avas lying on his saddle blanket, making 
 a pillow of the saddle. His prompt direction to Armstrong, one 
 of his captains, as soon as he received the information, was, 
 "Form your troop in the rear and fight w^hile we run." The 
 legion was barely on the march when the enemy appeared, but 
 Armstrong made the required demonstration with such gallantry 
 and confidence that the enemy, apprehending an engagement with 
 a stronger force, paused for reinforcements, and Lee was enabled 
 to put himself in closer communication with the main body, 
 w r hich was then halted at Bush Creek. After this time, William 
 Butler became a partisan, sometimes serving as second in com 
 mand under Ryan, and sometimes in the same position under 
 Watson, both partisan leaders of local distinction. At a subse- 
 
36 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 quent period he raised and commanded a company of mounted 
 rangers, under a commission from General Pierson, confirmed by 
 the Governor of the State. While serving under Watson, he was 
 engaged in an expedition against a band of Tories, who had 
 organized themselves on the Edisto. The expedition rendez 
 voused at the ridge in Edgefield District. Michael Watson, the 
 leader, was a determined, resolute, yet revengeful man, and con 
 trolled too much by the influences which these feelings suggested. 
 When they met the Tories at Drow Swamp, the latter were 
 stronger than had been expected, and occupied a well fortified 
 position. Nettled and somewhat exasperated at finding he had 
 been entrapped, instead of being governed by discretion, he 
 pushed on, disdaining a retreat. The consequence was, his men 
 fell back at the first fire, with symptoms of panic, and made a 
 faltering response to his order to charge. But few obeyed with 
 the ready alacrity with which they were wont to welcome it. 
 Many obeyed not at all. The result was a second order, and they 
 were driven back again; then the stern old warrior, maddened, 
 and shouting in stentorian tones his "rally," ordered his men to 
 charge, or woe to the man who failed to do his duty; but only 
 about fifteen men came up to the call. They had gone into the 
 fight against superior numbers, strongly posted in the swamp; 
 which position they still maintained. Watson now became 
 furious, and losing his judgment, persisted in his attempts. At 
 length, while loading his rifle behind a tree, he was mortally 
 wounded by a ball through his hip. William Butler, at this 
 decisive moment, assumed the command, giving his lieutenancy 
 to a man by the name of John Corley. The extreme danger in 
 which the party had been placed by the rashness of Watson 
 required a resort to desperate measures, so he placed Corley in 
 the rear, with an order to cut down the first man who gave way. 
 It so happened that Joseph Corley, a brother of the one first 
 spoken of, with others was seen to fall back, which, if it had been 
 overlooked, w T ould have doomed the fate of the balance to certain 
 destruction. John Corley, true to the orders of his leader, drew 
 his pistol, and placing the muzzle at the head of his brother, 
 ordered him back to his post. Joseph returned without a dis 
 senting word, and conducted himself afterward gallantly through 
 out the fight. During the affray, a man by the name of Vardell 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 37 
 
 was mortally wounded, and before the breath left him, begged 
 his comrades not to let his body fall into the hands of the Tories. 
 Watson, lying between the contending parties, made a similar 
 request, especially to William Butler. "Billy, my brave boy," 
 exclaimed the wounded partisan chief, "Do not let the cussed 
 Tories take my body." 
 
 Desperate and reckless, Butler and his men, with a wild, 
 demoniac shout that rang out on the welkin as from so many 
 furies, made a terrible charge that bore down everything before 
 it, scattering the Tories on the right and left, and succeeded also 
 in bringing off their dead and wounded comrades. As they 
 retreated, they found time to bury the body of Vardell, concealing 
 it under the roots of a large oak which had fallen, covering it over 
 with dirt and leaves by the use of their swords. At some little 
 distance from the scene of the conflict, they took refuge in a log 
 house, which answered the purpose of a block-house and resting 
 place. Watson, though sorely wounded, and under the appre 
 hension of death, still maintained a determined resolution. A 
 woman happened to be found in the house in which they had 
 taken shelter, whose infant, five weeks old, was in a dwelling 
 house some little distance off. Watson insisted that she should be 
 detained, as their peculiar condition and weakness required con 
 cealment if possible, as he said, she might betray them ; but she, 
 finding this out, hooted at the idea of betraying her Whig friends. 
 Through her they found means, however, to convey information 
 of their whereabouts, and their perilous situation, to Orangeburg, 
 where there was a detachment. Captain (subsequently General) 
 Rumph, as soon as apprised, hastened to their relief. Under his 
 escort Watson was carried upon a litter, in a dying condition, to 
 Orangeburg Court House, where he expired, and was buried with 
 military honors, Captain Butler superintending. 
 
 After this, we find the subject of this memoir acting as lieu 
 tenant with Ryan. Here he engaged in another expedition against 
 the Tories in Orangeburg District. The Whigs were in force near 
 the court house. A number of Tories, believing their condition 
 perilous, and their cause on the wane, deserted to the Whig force. 
 Ryan, distrusting them, gave orders in an engagement to place 
 them in front, with positive instructions if they wavered for his 
 men to shoot them down. In a fight that occurred they proved 
 
38 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 true, but Ryan was disabled by a shot, and Lieutenant Butler 
 assumed the command. The Tories here were signally defeated. 
 In 1782, Cunningham, the celebrated Tory partisan, made a 
 second incursion into the Ninety-sixth District. Perfectly 
 familiar with the country from his youth, possessed of great 
 sagacity and fertility of genius in military expedients, wary and 
 strategetic, endowed with all the physical qualities so essential 
 to a partisan, withal bold, dashing and reckless, he was even, if a 
 Tory, a dangerous as well as a formidable adversary to contend 
 with. A favorite manoeuvre of his was to divide his command 
 upon the march into small detachments, to be concentrated after 
 the Napoleonic plan by different routes, meeting, as near as could 
 be calculated upon, close to or at the point at which his blow was 
 aimed. In this manner he had concentrated his forces at Cor- 
 rodine s Ford on the Saluda. William Butler, who was then 
 commanding a company of rangers under the authority of Gen 
 eral Pickens, with a portion of his men, manceuvered to come 
 upon him, if possible, and take him by surprise. With a view 
 to ascertain Cunningham s position, he resorted to a ruse. 
 Approaching the residence of Joseph Cunningham, near the junc 
 tion of the little Saluda and big Saluda, he sent forward his 
 brother, Thomas Butler, with Abner Corley, to the house in the 
 night. Thomas Butler was an excellent mimic, so when he came 
 in hailing distance of the house, he called aloud, imitating the 
 voice of one of William Cunningham s men, named Niblett, and 
 asked where our friend Cunningham was? The wife of Joseph 
 Cunningham, coming to the door, replied, "That he had crossed 
 Corrodine s Ford." With this information, William Butler him 
 self rode up to the house, and finding Joseph Cunningham there, 
 compelled him, on peril of }iis life, to guide the party across the 
 ford. They crossed the ford at 12 M. that night, and next morn 
 ing halted in a peach orchard, near Bouknight s Ferry, on the 
 Saluda. The horses were unbitted with saddles on, and were 
 feeding upon peas out of a caddy, when a gray mare, which 
 Cunningham was known to have taken from the neighborhood, 
 was observed passing back, having escaped fron^ the camp. This 
 incident disclosed, in some measure, the state of affairs, and the 
 Rangers received the orders to march. The Rangers numbered 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 39 
 
 some thirty, and Cunningham s men some twenty. The bloody 
 transaction of Cloud s Creek, 
 
 "Feeding its torch with the thought of wrong," 
 
 aroused the passion, stirred up the blood and enthused the chiv 
 alrous spirit of Butler, to grapple with the bloody fiend and 
 wreak if possible vengeance for the deed. It was not the ven 
 geance as sought for by an assassin. It was not to be taken in a 
 dastardly manner; no midnight shotgun from behind a tree, or 
 the sudden plunge of a sharp knife ; the coward s virtue, through 
 the heart no ! It was an encounter to be like as between the 
 knights of old; an encounter rather with the feelings of the 
 duello than the battlefield. Approaching the partisan s position, 
 John Corley was detailed with eighteen men to gain the rear, 
 and upon a concerted signal to commence the attack. While the 
 main body advanced under cover of a hedge, the Tories were 
 drying their blankets by their camp fires, and Cunningham him 
 self was at a little distance off from his band. As it afterwards 
 appeared, Butler s person being at one time exposed, in advanc 
 ing before the signal was given, he was observed by the Tories, 
 but taken for their own leader, for it is said there was a strong 
 personal resemblance between the two men. Upon the giving of 
 the signal, Corley made a furious and dashing assault, himself 
 foremost, like another Murat in leading the charge. 
 
 "Thus joined the band, whom mutual wrong, 
 And fate and fury drove along." 
 
 This was the first intimation to the Tories that their exasper 
 ated foes were at hand. Cunningham was promptly at his post; 
 but although taken by surprise, his eyes were open, and he sa\v 
 at a glance that his foes were superior in numbers ; but so wary 
 was he, 
 
 "By trial of his former harms and cares." 
 
 governed, too, by the adage that "discretion is the better part of 
 valor," that he shouted out to his men to take care of themselves, 
 and hastened to his saddleless steed, released the bridle reins, and 
 then on her bare back nimbly leaped astraddle, with a trained 
 partisan s quickness, and went bounding through the wild woods 
 
40 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 like another Mazeppa. Close behind him dashed Butler in hot 
 pursuit. Nothing could have been more exciting, and more to 
 have been desired by him. 
 
 "Away ! away ! and on they dash ! 
 Torrents less rapid and less rash." 
 
 Both men were remarkably fine riders, and tradition has pre 
 served the names of the two horses they rode on that occasion. 
 Cunningham was mounted on a stylish, splendidly formed black 
 mare having glossy skin, trim legs, with three white feet. 
 
 "Who looked as though the speed of thought 
 Were in her limbs," 
 
 that had become celebrated in his service as "Silver Heels," while 
 Butler rode a noble-looking, broad-breasted, long-hoofed, 
 straight-legged, passing-strong steed, a dark bay, with full eyes 
 and nostrils wide, called "Ranter," who possessed great powers 
 of endurance. Butler carried only a sabre, and Cunningham 
 pistols which had been rendered useless by the rain of the pre 
 vious night, for he snapped them both repeatedly over his 
 shoulders at his adversary as the gallant mare went thunder 
 ing on 
 
 "With flowing tail and flying inane 
 With nostrils never stretched by pain." 
 
 Life or death to both hung upon the fleetness of their horses. 
 As long as the chase was in the woods, Ranter maintained his 
 own; but when they struck an open trail, in which the superior 
 stride of Cunningham s thoroughbred could tell, turning his 
 body, with his head thrown round, looking over his left shoulder 
 askance at Butler, holding tightly the reins in his left hand, 
 while a triumphant smile played over his countenance, he patted 
 the shoulders of the noble animal that bore him, tauntingly 
 exclaiming, as he threw out his right hand behind him, shaking 
 his forefinger "Damn you, Bill Butler, I m safe; but mark, the 
 next chase will be mine !" when 
 
 "Away! away! dashed Silver Heels 
 Upon the pinions of the wind, 
 Leaving Ranter far behind; 
 She sped like a meteor thro the sky 
 When with its crackling sound the night, 
 Is chequer d with the northern light," 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 41 
 
 and soon was seen with her rider on her back swimming Saluda 
 river near Lorick s Ferry. Sullenly Butler returned from the 
 pursuit of Cunningham. At the Tory camp he found a portion 
 of his command assembled under circumstances w^hich gave him 
 great concern. Turner, one of the Tory prisoners, had been 
 deliberately shot through the heart after he had surrendered. 
 Alas! 
 
 "There s was the strife 
 That neither spares nor speaks for life." 
 
 Upon inquiry he ascertained one Seysin had done the deed, 
 who justified himself by reciting an outrage the unfortunate man 
 had inflicted upon his mother, to wit : Turner had stripped Mrs. 
 Seysin to the waist, then tied her hard and fast, and whipped 
 her severely to force her to disclose where was concealed a party 
 of Whigs, among whom was her son. Butler sternly rebuked the 
 act as cruel and contrary to the rules of civilized warfare. Though 
 warring against a savage, relentless foe, yet he was high-toned 
 and chivalrous to a fault. Seysin was brought to trial before the 
 corps. The verdict was in his favor and no court-martial was 
 held. The deed was certainly savage and cruel, but the strong, 
 palliating circumstances of the whipping of his mother was in 
 his favor. 
 
 A pursuit of Cunningham s men was ordered immediately by 
 Butler for the purpose of capturing or finally dispersing them. 
 Some were overtaken while crossing the river and some in the 
 forest. Butler was disposed to be lenient and merciful, but he 
 soon saw that his men, rough, illiterate and prejudiced, were 
 ungovernable. Such is, and has ever been, the result of civil 
 strife. Alas ! the horrors of war when a common country is 
 divided. 
 
 "All that the Devil would do, if run stark mad, 
 Is then let loose." 
 
 No threats or orders could deter them from shooting the fleeing 
 Tories. He ordered one DeLoach, who was in the act of firing his 
 rifle, to desist; while another by the name of Sherwood Corley, 
 who was just behind him in the river, snapped his pistol at one 
 of the retreating Tories, and though he was ordered to cease from 
 
42 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 firing, yet deliberately reprimed his rifle afresh, fired and killed a 
 Tory by the name of Davis as he was ascending the Edgefield 
 bank. 
 
 " In vain he did whatever a chief may do 
 To cheek the headstrong fury of that crew. 
 In vain their stubborn ardor he would tame, 
 
 But, alas ! 
 The hand that kindled could not quench the flame." 
 
 The result of this action was the breaking up and final dis 
 persion of Cunningham s famous band. He himself retired to 
 Cuba, where he was awarded after his arrival something like an 
 ovation by the British for his traitorous services. After the war, 
 Major Gandy, a gallant partisan of the Revolution, visited Cuba 
 on account of his health. Cunningham, in the true spirit of hos 
 pitality, called upon him, and while chatting with him about the 
 war, told him that on one occasion he had ridden up with an 
 escort at his back to a house near Ninety-Six, in which Gandy 
 and others were playing cards, with a view of ascertaining if 
 William Butler was among them. 
 
 "Why did you not fire upon us?" asked Gandy. 
 
 "I had no desire to kill you," replied Cunningham, "but if 
 Bill Butler had been there, the floor of that house would have 
 been flooded with blood." 
 
 Cunningham, before he left, extended an invitation to the 
 Major to dine with him. Whether he did so or not tradition does 
 not say. Here he died. He was a man born to command, of an 
 unyielding and independent obstinacy of character, possessed of 
 splendid military ability, bold, courageous, yet revengeful and 
 vindictive. He might have won for himself an imperishable name 
 of honor, but by his treason he wiped it out in the betrayal of 
 his country, and his name remains to the ensuing age abhorred. 
 
 From the conclusion of this skirmish and the blotting out of 
 Cunningham s band, until the close of the war, Butler continued 
 at the head of the Rangers under the command of General 
 Pickens, and was considered his favorite captain. He had, how 
 ever, now very little duty to do, other than patrol to perform, 
 consequently 
 
 "The trenchant blade, Toledo trusty, 
 Grew rusty." 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 43 
 
 His company of Rangers was not discharged until after 1784, 
 a year after the peace. 
 
 With the resumption of peace and the pursuits of civil life, the 
 soldiers thoughts turned from 
 
 "The burning shell, the gateway wrench d asunder, 
 The rattling musketry, the clashing blade, 
 The charge, the shout, the tones of thunder, 
 The diapason of the cannonade," 
 
 and reverted to the young girl of the Saluda the star of his 
 worship 
 
 "Whose gentle ray 
 Beam d constant o er his lonely way," 
 
 whom he saw at Savage s house during Greene s retreat from 
 Ninety-Six, which has already been narrated; nor had she for 
 gotten the young officer of the cockade and plume, for when the 
 mother and family bitterly opposed his attentions, and her step 
 father forbade him to visit her at his house, she boldly and fear 
 lessly proved by her determination and pluck that 
 
 "Love is not reasoned down or lost ; 
 It grows into the soul, 
 Warms every vein and beats in every pulse," 
 
 for she told him to come and she would meet him. The result of 
 it was they were married in the latter part of 1784. Miss 
 Bethethland Foote Moore, whom William Butler had selected as 
 his partner, as the wife of his bosom, was a woman of strong, 
 and in many respects remarkable, traits of character. She always 
 exercised great influence over him, and he relied upon her judg 
 ment and advice. He seemed to have inspired her with a deep 
 and profound feeling of respect, almost amounting to fascination, 
 which of itself is one of the highest tributes that could be paid his 
 memory. 
 
 In 1794, William Butler was elected by the Legislature of 
 South Carolina, which was then the custom, to be the sheriff of 
 Ninety-sixth District. He discharged few of the ministerial 
 duties, however, leaving these to be carried out by his brothers, 
 Thomas and Stanmore, who were his deputies; but, as to one 
 thing, he always conducted the military escort of the judge 
 
44 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 during the sitting of the courts. The sheriffalty of that day was 
 an office of high distinction. It was esteemed as an office of 
 honor, which could only be obtained by men of virtue, merit, 
 honesty and worth, but now it hath lost its lustre and reputation, 
 and resolved itself into a mercenary purchase. 
 
 William Butler, as sheriff of Ninety-sixth District, received 
 General Washington when upon his Southern tour, from the 
 authorities of Georgia, and conducted him by the Pine House to 
 the Eidge in Edgefield District, which was near the termination 
 of his territorial jurisdiction. At the Ridge, General Hampton, 
 then sheriff of what was called Camden District, received and 
 conducted him to Granby, situated on the Congaree river, about 
 one mile and a half below Columbia, through by Camden, and 
 thence to Charlotte, North Carolina, where the authorities 01 that 
 State received the illustrious patriot and Father of his Country. 
 
 In 1798 General Pickens resigned the office of Major-General of 
 the Upper Division of South Carolina militia, and through his 
 recommendation William Butler was elected by the State Legis 
 lature to fill the vacancy. In 1800, General Butler became a can 
 didate for Congress against Goodloe Harper, the incumbent from 
 the Ninety-sixth District. Mr. Harper had been a Republican, 
 but from conscientious motives joined the Federals, and sup 
 ported what was peculiarly unpopular at the South, "Jay s 
 treaty." This raised opposition to him at home, and General 
 Butler was elected as the opposition candidate, his old com 
 mander, John Ryan, moving the nomination. He succeeded in 
 the election, and took his seat in 1801. When the resolution 
 charging General Wilkinson with complicity with Burr in his 
 attempted treason was moved and adopted in the House of Rep 
 resentatives, the occasion ^ave rise to great sensation. A dis 
 cussion took place upon the floor of the House as to the Chairman 
 of the Committee of Investigation. A ballot was called for by 
 Wilkinson s friends. The motion was overruled, and the duty of 
 making the appointment devolved on the Speaker. He appointed 
 General Butler. Wilkinson at the time made some offensive 
 remarks, something of this kind, "That he was not only to be 
 tried by a militia general, but that he was condemned before he 
 was tried." This being reported to General Butler, he resigned 
 his position on the committee. Roger Bacon was appointed to 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 45 
 
 succeed him. Owing to the remarks, unfriendly communication 
 passed between him and Wilkinson. They, however, in course 
 of time, became reconciled. 
 
 In 1813 General Butler resigned his seat in Congress, distinctly 
 and conclusively, in preference of all others, to Mr. John C. 
 Calhoun, the great Southern statesman, saying to him, "You can 
 meet Randolph in debate I cannot." How few would acknowl 
 edge so candidly their inferiority today, and resign their seat in 
 Congress to put* in even a Clay, Webster or another Calhoun. 
 That was the age of giants and men. Verily, the days of noble 
 ness of soul and pure integrity have passed away. Each one at 
 the present thinks he is the observed of the observers. Cicero, 
 Demosthenes, Patrick Henry, aye, Solomon, the wise man, was 
 a fool beside them. 
 
 Butler s admiration for Randolph was very high, and notwith 
 standing they differed in opinion as to the war of 1812, they con 
 tinued to entertain friendly relations. Butler on a certain 
 occasion spent some time with him at his homestead, by invitation, 
 in returning from Congress. In 1814, General Butler Avas called 
 by Governor Alston, in a very complimentary manner, now on 
 record in Washington, to command the troops of South Carolina 
 at Charleston. President Madison had in 1812 offered to him the 
 commission of Brigadier-General in the United States army, but 
 he declined it, saying, "He was a Major-General at home." Gen 
 eral Jackson was appointed to command the forces at New 
 Orleans, while General Butler was in command at Charleston. 
 They had been comrades in early life, and Jackson sent him word, 
 "That they were both called militia generals, but that he knew 
 whichever was attacked first would do his duty." General 
 Pickens, who was a man of some military ability, had an idea 
 that he knew exactly how, as unfortunately was the case during 
 the late civil strife, by a goodly lot of persons, to prescribe the 
 mode of defense for Charleston, which was this : To allow the 
 enemy to land and then fight them through the streets from 
 behind barricades. Butler s response to him was, "That when he 
 assumed the command, he expected to consult the dictates of his 
 own judgment, and he should meet them at the water." An 
 incursion was made upon one of the islands for the purpose of 
 supplying provisions to the fleet off the coast, and a slight affair 
 
46 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 occurred, in which Captain Dent, of the navy, was principally 
 engaged. The incursion was repelled. This was the only engage 
 ment with the enemy of any portion of General Butler s com 
 mand. It had fallen to the lot of his friend to vindicate the 
 ability of militia generals. The war terminated*with the battle 
 of New Orleans, and General Butler became a private citizen. 
 From this period to the close of his life, he confined himself prin 
 cipally to the business of superintending his farm. During the 
 time he was in Congress, his seat was twice contested. First, by 
 Dr. Seriren, a man of high character, and afterward by Edmond 
 Bacon, a man of decided ability. The last contest gave rise to 
 the unfortunate issue known as "old and new parties of Edge- 
 field." It was bitter and acrimonious, and led to many painful 
 contentions. Mr. Bacon, however, became not only reconciled 
 with, but afterwards a warm friend of General Butler and others, 
 w r hose names are to be found upon the journal to consider the 
 adoption of the Federal Constitution, and they voted against it. 
 He was subsequently a member of the convention which formed 
 the State Constitution, that held its own until changed by the 
 Republican party of 1868. 
 
 General Butler s brothers were first, Thomas, who was regarded 
 a man of considerable military talent ; second, Sampson, who was 
 sheriff of Edgefield, and for many years a representative from 
 that district in the State Legislature ; Stanmore, who was a cap 
 tain in the United States army during the time war was expected 
 with France, and was also clerk of the court of Edgefield when he 
 died ; and last, was James, who was killed during the Revolution 
 in the skirmish on Cloud s Creek. He had two sisters, Nancy and 
 Elizabeth. The first married Elisha Brooks, Avho was a lieu 
 tenant in the Revolution; fhe latter married *Z. Smith Brooks, 
 who was also a lieutenant in the Revolution, and subsequently a 
 colonel of State cavalry. He had eight children, to-wit: James, 
 who was sheriff of Edgefield District and a colonel of State 
 cavalry at his death. George Butler was a lawyer, and during the 
 war of 1812 served as major in the regular army. William was 
 a physician, and was a surgeon in the army at New Orleans; he 
 
 *Zachariah Smith Brooks, father of Whitfleld Brooks, who was father to 
 James Carroll Brooks, who was father to U. R. Brooks. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 47 
 
 also served one term as a representative in Congress. Frank 
 Butler was a lawyer. Pierce M. Butler was an officer in the 
 regular army, was president of the Bank of the State of South 
 Carolina was Governor of South Carolina, and fell in the battle 
 of Churubusco, in Mexico, at the head of the gallant Palmetto 
 regiment; Emmela, the only daughter, was married to General 
 Waddy Thompson, who was a lawyer, a member of Congress, 
 and Minister to Mexico. Leontine died young. Andrew Pickens 
 Butler, who passed away a score of years ago, and whom I knew 
 well, was admitted to the practice of the law at an early age, 
 rose to distinction in his profession, was elected a judge by the 
 South Carolina Legislature, and w r as finally elected by the same 
 body as Senator to Congress, where he attained an enviable posi 
 tion. 
 
 General Butler was a handsome man. He stood fully six feet 
 high. He was a good shot with the rifle, well versed in woodcraft 
 and a splendid horseman. His love for horses amounted to a 
 passion. He would have nothing but the finest blood on his place. 
 He considered it a defect in his sons not to ride well, and was in 
 the habit of making them break his colts, until upon one occasion, 
 when a dare-devil filly was to be broken and two of the boys, 
 Pickens and Pierce, were drawing lots to see who should have the 
 honor of doing it, Mrs. Butler interfered, saying she could stand 
 it no longer; that they were her children as well as his, and if 
 the filly was to be broken, why not let the negro boys do it ? Gen 
 eral Butler yielded, carelessly remarking in a humorous tone, 
 with a smile playing around his mouth, "Well, my dear wife, be 
 it so, but it would not hurt the boys to be thrown off, as the 
 ground has just been freshly plowed." "Xo, mother," exclaimed 
 the boys at the same time, "a little exercise today would be bene 
 ficial." At one time he was engaged upon the turf, and was in 
 most cases successful. Upon one occasion, when he had entered 
 into an engagement to run a race, some circumstance happened, 
 by his financially assisting a friend, that run him short. Under 
 the circumstances, however, as his w r ord was his bond, he put up 
 as a ~bona -fide collateral a favorite family body servant, whose 
 name was Will. It annoyed him in no small degree that he had to 
 put him up. But the vulgar adage runs, "Fortune favors the 
 brave " so it seemed with him. He won the race. It was his last. 
 
48 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Returning home satisfied and rejoiced, he communicated to his 
 wife what had taken place. Upon hearing his statement, she read 
 him a curtain lecture on the evils likely to result from horse- 
 racing and gambling, and then solicited a pledge from him to the 
 effect that he would never run another horse Yace or gamble. 
 Forthwith he gave his pledge never to be guilty of the like again. 
 Having retired from all public business, and in a great degree 
 having abandoned the most of his old habits, as horse-racing and 
 sporting in general, he became almost a stranger in the midst of 
 society, amusing himself with agricultural experiments, and in 
 trying to promote the happiness of his children and domestics, 
 friends and neighbors. His health, which for some time had been 
 delicate, owing to the exposure and hardships endured during 
 the war, gradually declined and he passed away on the 23rd of 
 September, 1821, in the beginning of his sixty-third year, with 
 remarkable calmness, composure and dignity, 
 
 "Like one who draws the drapery of his couch 
 About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams." 
 
 While he left but little of anything that can be gathered from 
 historical statements that is and was remarkable and more won 
 derful than can be said of thousands of others, yet what may be 
 and has been penned by his son, as well as confirmed by many 
 old citizens, who well recollected of him in the years gone by 
 when I made inquiries, was that he was a man of note and decided 
 mark in his day and time. 
 
 General Butler was a man of but little education, yet of strong 
 impressions and great self-reliance. One strong peculiarity 
 marked his public, as well as private character, which it would 
 be well for many of the members of the Legislature, as well as 
 of Congress, of much less calibre to model after. He had an 
 utter contempt for long letters and long speeches. He frequently, 
 when conversing on this subject, alluded to John Rutledge as one 
 among the best speakers he ever heard, commending him chiefly 
 for his brevity. He himself, whenever he addressed his constit 
 uents or an assembly, always made brief, pointed speeches, and 
 he never wrote a letter over a page long, and that to the point. 
 His sheriff books were a model of official exactness. During his 
 life neither gain nor personal aggrandizement had any power to 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 49 
 
 bend his principles and independence. In his political conflicts, 
 no breath of suspicion ever assailed his integrity or dimmed the 
 escutcheon of his honor. He could not have been induced to vary 
 on any cherished opinion, except confronted by sound reasons, 
 for the highest positions. Fawning and flattery were foreign to 
 his nature. Keenly alive to any breath upon the purity of his 
 motives, ancestry or character, he took no pains to cultivate noto 
 riety. He was no literary scholar nor fluent orator. Though his 
 connection with most of the events narrated was a subordinate 
 one, yet he always had his own decided, determined opinions. 
 Possessed of an excellent judgment, trained and educated in the 
 academy of common sense, and graduating in the college of 
 experience, which to mortals is a blessing and providence, he 
 might truly be put down as a scholar of rare and undoubted 
 might. As to his courage, he was as brave as humanity could 
 possibly be. He had his faults ; it would be fortunate for any of 
 us who could be charged with less, but the error and frailty which 
 belonged to him often took their color from virtue itself. On 
 these he needs no silence, even if the grave, which has long been 
 closed over him, did not refuse its echoes, except to what is good. 
 
 His reputation was the product of no hot-bed appliances, as 
 used at the present day, but slowly and noiselessly it grew, strong 
 and high, like the tall pine of his native country and State, whose 
 head revels proudly in the sweeping winds. As an officeholder, 
 he was courteous, respectful and attended to the wants and 
 requirements of his constituents. As a citizen, he was law- 
 abiding, loyal and true. As a son, obedient and submissive. As 
 a brother, his love was like that of Jonathan for David. As a 
 husband, he was affectionate, devoted and constant. As a father, 
 kind, loving and considerate, though he was absolute master of 
 his household, making his children entirely subservient to his 
 commands. As a friend, though his friendship was not demon- 
 stative, yet it was strong and enduring. As a foe, he was manly 
 and honorable. As a man, would there were more like him. 
 
 Silently in the deep stillness of that dreamless state which 
 knows no waking earthly joys again, he reposes in the old bury 
 ing ground on Big Creek, in Edgefield District, S. C., while from 
 the silence of the tomb and from the dust and bones that may lie 
 in the coffin that contains them, there come forth lessons of warn- 
 
 4 B. C. 
 
50 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 ing and admonition, speaking in tones of thunder, fraught with 
 experience and wisdom to the youth of his native State, who are 
 just entering private and public life, with all its temptations and 
 seducements before them; that there are tricks and shams and 
 intimidations that are and will be set as pitfalls in their paths. 
 With much that may be noble and inspiring about them, there 
 are and will be manifold inclinations to sloth, to fickleness, and it 
 may be to corruption. Who can tell whether some of them have 
 not already set their feet in the way that leads down to moral 
 death? They need the tones of that voice, whom we are now 
 reviewing, which never directed the coward s retreat, the splendid 
 calm of that clear face and blue eyes, that kept its serenity and 
 brilliancy amid all dangers and difficulties in the times that tried 
 men s souls, and when the battle by day or night around him was 
 at its thickest. They need the actual sight of and association with 
 all such as he was, who by example and precept will elevate their 
 aims, establish their character and make them truly patriotically 
 private as well as public servants for the public good. And for 
 those who are connected with public affairs today, and who desire 
 to maintain and preserve an honorable reputation, what better 
 course can be suggested or given than for those to emulate the 
 patriotism, the steadfastness, the courage, the manliness, the 
 sobriety, the honesty and the justice of William Butler ! 
 
 He speaks in characters that never die, 
 The human greatness of an age gone by. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 51 
 
 MATTHEW CALBRAITH BUTLER 
 
 Gentleman, Statesman, Soldier, Matthew Calbraith Butler was 
 born near Greenville, S. C., on the 8th March, 1836. 
 
 On the Butler side of the house he is descended from a distin 
 guished family of heroes, soldiers, and statesmen. The Butlers 
 were among the pioneers of South Carolina settling in the north 
 ern portion of Edgefield County, South Carolina. They came 
 from Prince William County, Virginia. His great grandfather, 
 Captain James Butler, died fighting for his country in the incip- 
 iency of the American Eevolution. This Butler family can trace 
 back to the Duke of Ormand, the great Royalist leader in England. 
 His grandfather, General Wm. Butler, rose from a lieutenant 
 to major-general, and was also very prominent in the legislative 
 department of the State, and served thirteen years in Congress. 
 He resigned his seat in Congress to give way to John C. Calhoun, 
 who afterwards became the greatest statesman America ever 
 produced. Dr. Wm. Butler was an assistant surgeon in the 
 United States Navy, and while stationed at Newport. Rhode 
 Island, met Jane Tweedy Perry, sister of Commodore O. H. 
 Perry, of Lake Erie fame, and Commodore M. C. Perry, who 
 first opened up our commercial relations with Japan. All readers 
 of American history are intimately acquainted with the never- 
 dying fame of these two naval heroes. Dr. Butler fell in love 
 with Jane T. Perry, resigned from the navy, came South and 
 settled on his father s estate on Saluda River, in Edgefield County. 
 He lived on his plantation only a short while, finding it very 
 unhealthy. Dr. Butler bought a place near Greenville, South 
 Carolina, the foot hills of the Blue Ridge range of mountains. 
 Here it was Matthew Calbraith Butler was born and named after 
 his illustrious uncle, Commodore M. C. Perry. The Perry family 
 came of a strong, sturdy Scotch-Irish family, claiming direct 
 descent from Wm. Wallace, the great rebel, who defied the Eng 
 lish Government and was hung as a rebel. Jane T. Perry s father 
 was a Captain Perry of the United States Navy. People, like 
 finely bred horses and other stock, are judged by their breeding, 
 etc. In 1848 President Polk appointed Dr. Wm. Butler agent to 
 
52 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 the Cherokee Indians out West. The family went overland in 
 carriages and wagons. In this cavalcade Calbraith Butler, 
 seventh child of Jane and Wm. Butler, drove a mule named Jerry, 
 hitched to a one-horse wagon, from Greenville to Fort Gibson, 
 Arkansas. The subject of this sketch remamed out West till 
 1851. Commodore M. C. Perry had written his sister for one of 
 her boys to educate, and Judge A. P. Butler, of South Carolina, 
 also wanted one. It was left to Calbraith to choose which of the 
 two uncles he would live with. He selected Judge Butler, and 
 he landed in Edgefield in the fall of 1851, though he had been on 
 a previous visit in 1849. Judge Butler lived about five miles 
 from the Town of Edgefield, and young Butler rode into school 
 every day. He was a leader from his youth. Captain in all out 
 door sports, fair but full of mischief and fun. Professor Leitner, 
 who prepared him for college, in conversation with his brother, 
 the late Hon. W. Z. Leitner, pointed to young Butler and said, 
 "that boy will be a great leader of men," and in the language of 
 the poet, "Childhood shows the man as morning shows the day." 
 
 He entered the South Carolina College in 1854, but left after 
 the junior year. He studied law under his uncle, Judge Butler, 
 one of the leading lawyers in South Carolina, and a member of 
 the United States Senate. The wido\v of old General Wm. Butler 
 lived with her son, Judge A. P. Butler, and it was her care and 
 training for she was known far and near for the beauty and 
 grandeur of her character which helped to form the young 
 man s character as he was growing into manhood. After leaving 
 college he studied law, was admitted to practice, and began his 
 professional career at Edgefield, South Carolina. Soon after his 
 admission he married Maria Calhoun Pickens, fourth child of 
 Colonel F. W. Pickens, afterwards governor of South Carolina. 
 He served one term in the State Legislature, and before he could 
 be reflected the tocsin of the bloody War Between the States was 
 sounded. He was elected captain of the Edgefield Hussars, and 
 left home for the battlefield in Virginia, the seat of war. Few 
 men ever served their country with more distinguished gallantry 
 than did M. C. Butler. He rose from captain at the First Battle 
 of Manassas to major-general of cavalry on the 25th day of 
 August, 1864. There are few men in the United States who can 
 boast a prouder family inheritance than General Butler. For 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 53 
 
 three generations his ancestors and relations on both sides of the 
 house have been distinguished in public service as naval and 
 army officers, judges, governors and United States senators. 
 His father was a high-toned gentleman, possessing a tall 
 and strikingly handsome person, and very popular with the 
 people. All of these virtues and graces his distinguished son has 
 inherited. At the desperate battle of Brandy Station, 9th June, 
 1863, he lost his leg. "One of the most dashing figures seen that 
 day was Colonel M. C. Butler at the head of his regiment, the 
 Second South Carolina Cavalry." Twenty-seven years of age, 
 molded like an Apollo, with a face as sweet and handsome as that 
 of any god of old, he sat his horse like a typical South Carolina 
 cavalier; gentle as any fawn when comrades w r ere assembled in 
 social converse; fierce as a veteran grenadier when the foe was to 
 be met face to face. But he lost w r ith his leg none of that uncon 
 querable dash and spirit that made him a very paladin in the 
 cavalry corps of the Army of Northern Virginia. Returning to 
 his command as quickly as his wound would permit, he was at 
 once made brigadier-general and soon thereafter a major-general, 
 and from that time to the end of the war his plume always showed 
 in the lead, where the calm judgment of a soldier was needed or 
 the dash of a knight ready to face any odds was called for. 
 
 The same cannon ball that maimed General Butler for life cut 
 off Captain Farley s leg above the knee ; Butler began to staunch 
 the blood with his handkerchief and advised Farley how to do 
 the same. Captain Chestnut, Lieutenant Rhett and other officers 
 came running to Butler s aid, but at that moment he observed 
 that Farley s dying horse was struggling and seemed likely to 
 crush the rider. "Go at once to Farley," cried Butler ; "he needs 
 you more than I do." They did as they were bidden, and as 
 Farley was placed on a litter he asked them to bring his leg and 
 put it, too, on the litter. Then he said, "Now, gentlemen, you have 
 done all for me that is possible. I shall be dead in an hour ; God 
 bless you for your kindness. I bid you all an affectionate fare 
 well. Go at once to Butler." That evening General Butler s leg 
 was dressed in the hospital just as poor Farley breathed his last. 
 "Henceforth we shall not need to go to Sir Phillip Sidney for an 
 example of noble self-sacrifice." 
 
54 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 General Butler never ordered a soldier to go where he would 
 not go himself. He loved his brave men and they loved him. He 
 is one of the coolest men in danger that was ever seen in battle. 
 On the morning of the 27th October, 1864, be got very angry 
 with a man named Hunter, who, among others, was leading some 
 horses too fast to the rear belonging to some dismounted men on 
 "picket who were stubbornly contesting every inch of ground with 
 Hancock s advancing columns. After the riot act was so 
 thoroughly read to Hunter by the General he (Hunter) behaved 
 well during the rest of the day. 
 
 It was at the battle of Reams Station, 25th August, 1864, that 
 General Butler won his spurs as major-general, when his dis 
 mounted cavalry took breastwork after breastwork and were 
 complimented by A. P. Hill s gallant veterans. The scenes of that 
 battle are so vivid and grand that it seems like yesterday to some 
 who participated in it, and yet these yesterdays are 
 
 "Gone? yet with us still they stay, 
 
 And their memories throb through life ; 
 The music that hushes or stirs today 
 Is toned by their calm or strife." 
 
 "Gone? and yet they never go, 
 
 We kneel at the shrine of Time ; 
 Tis a mystery no man may know, 
 Nor tell in a poet s rhyme." 
 
 General Butler s devotion to his men was beautiful to behold. 
 He noticed a sick soldier one day on the battlefield and said to 
 him: "Where will you sleep tonight?" "On the wet ground, 
 General," was the reply. "Why," he said, "without tent or other 
 covering you will die. I Will go to that house over yonder and 
 engage a room for us tonight, and you will sleep with me." General 
 Butler s heart is as great, and cast in a mould as gigantic as his 
 mind, hence a mean motive never entered his heart. In the 
 secrecy of private life he is as tender as a child and as demon 
 strative as an affectionate woman. His manner is singularly 
 gentle and courteous, while his bearing is so elevated and firm as 
 to command respect, confidence and attachment the many high 
 instincts and impulses of his nature seem to be harmoniously 
 blended and educated into principle. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 55 
 
 Ex-Governor Perry, in writing to a friend, says that there was 
 no officer of the Confederate Army more gallant or heroic than 
 General Butler. In the invasion of Pennsylvania under Lee, the 
 scrupulously honorable conduct of General Butler towards the 
 citizens of the country through which the Confederate Army was 
 passing drew from them the highest admiration, and since the war 
 he has received their grateful thanks. One of the coolest things 
 that was done during the War Between the States was accom 
 plished by General Butler on the 9th March, 1865, when he rode 
 up to General Kilpatrick s picket post about dark and told them 
 that he was General Butler, and if a gun was fired he would have 
 them shot. They did not shoot, but surrendered, and said that 
 they belonged to the Fifth Kentucky Cavalry, and the next morn 
 ing, 10th of March, was when Butler rode over Kilpatrick s 
 sleeping troopers and made Kilpatrick fly for his life. Kilpatrick 
 said he was surprised when he heard the rebel yell in his camp. 
 After the war, General Butler came home to the desolation 
 and poverty that inflicted his country and people and began the 
 practice of his profession without a cent of money and with 
 nothing but honor and brains. In the language of Ex- Governor 
 Perry: "At the bar General Butler has shown in the argument 
 of his cases great learning and the most brilliant talents as an 
 advocate. In a celebrated libel case tried at Greenville some time 
 during the Radical regime in South Carolina his speech was said 
 to be, by competent judges, the most forcible and finished argu 
 ment they had ever heard in a court of justice. Persons who had 
 witnessed a similar trial at Anderson, in which Governor 
 McDuffie made one of his greatest efforts, say, without hesitation, 
 that General Butler s speech was greatly superior in every respect 
 more brilliant, more logical, more eloquent, more learned and 
 more conclusive." 
 
 The case referred to was W. E. Earle against Bailey, proprietor 
 of the Greenville Enterprise, edited by S. S. Crittenden, a civil 
 action for damages for libel and defamation of character, tried 
 in April, 1876. The plaintiff s attorneys were Samuel McGowan, 
 W. D. Simpson and J. S. Cothran. The defendant was repre 
 sented by M. C. Butler, M. L. Bonham and Wm. H. Perry. When 
 General Butler had taken his seat after the conclusion of his 
 
56 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 argument, W. D. Simpson, afterwards chief justice, sent him the 
 following from the opposite side of the bar: 
 
 "Dear Butler: 
 
 "That was the most powerful specimen of forensic eloquence that I 
 have ever heard, and I congratulate you most sincerely. 
 
 "W. D. SIMPSON." 
 
 The ravages and demoralization of the war on the South have 
 been too well told. Of course the aliens, carpetbaggers, thieves, 
 etc., etc., scooped down on the helpless people and were more 
 ruthless than the Pict, more faithless than the Saxon, more 
 furious than the Vandal and more savage than all. These aliens, 
 carpetbaggers and thieves invaded our soil and made desolate our 
 land. They first invaded and laid waste their own consciences, 
 and thus made reckless and desperate they destroyed our property, 
 murdered our citizens and tried to steal everything in sight. Our 
 people were subjected to the examination of United States com 
 missioners notoriously venal and cruel. No opportunity was 
 allowed them to prove their innocence; the slightest pretext 
 sufficed to arouse suspicion, and, when this occurred, the arrest 
 followed. Henceforth the prisoner was allowed no intercourse 
 with his family; his papers were seized, his companions threat 
 ened; allowed only inadequate food; and when sleep, brought on 
 by exhaustion consequent on these cruelties, came to his relief, 
 he was suddenly aroused at midnight and urged, while in a state 
 of half-somnolency, to confess, to give up the name of a comrade, 
 or to sign a paper which would prove his ruin. During these 
 terrible days General Butler was prominent in his efforts to free 
 his people from the spoilsmen who urged the poor, free, helpless 
 negroes on to murder, arson and the most terrible iniquitous out 
 rages ever known in the /history of any free country. He, with 
 other leaders, argued, pleaded and pursued every conservative 
 plan that could be suggested. He even went so far as to run on 
 a reform ticket with Judge Carpenter, who was a Republican, 
 hoping to bring about a better state of affairs ; he was defeated in 
 this most hazardous campaign. Reason, argument and every 
 other peaceful plan was proposed with the hope of dividing the 
 
 negro votes. 
 
 "Peace hath her victories 
 No less renowned than War." 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 57 
 
 At last General M. W. Gary, also from Edgefield, a patriotic, 
 able man who made a gallant record in the war, with General 
 Butler introduced what is known to every South Carolinian as 
 the Straight-out movement. They called General Hampton from 
 his Mississippi plantation and helped to nominate him for gov 
 ernor, and he was elected. But for General Gary and General 
 Butler most probably General Hampton would have remained in 
 obscurity on his Mississippi possessions. General Butler, after 
 the victory of 1876, with other leading men became heroes. He 
 went quietly back to his professional work after the hardships 
 and trials of 1876. He was called from the quiet walks of life and 
 put in nomination for the United States senate and was unani- 
 mousty elected by the South Carolina Legislature. His seat was 
 contested by one Corbin, a carpetbagger, but General Butler got 
 it after two years contest. 
 
 In 1876 General Butler was employed to prosecute a negro 
 military company who refused to allow white men to pass through 
 the streets of Hamburg, S. C. The negroes defied the law and 
 killed a young white man belonging to one of the best families 
 in the State, and this dastardly act brought on a riot in which the 
 negroes were repulsed, and but for General Butler s presence 
 quite a number of these misguided negrooes would have been 
 killed. He was mercilessly slandered all over the country until 
 he had an opportunity to explain while in Washington that his 
 only weapon was a law book, and did more to preserve the peace 
 and keep order than any other man in the State could have done, 
 as he was the idol of the white people. 
 
 His career as a statesman began with his entrance into the 
 Senate of the United States. General Hampton was his colleague 
 for twelve years. General Butler did good work, debating and 
 battling for South Carolina with much credit to himself and was 
 considered one of the ablest and the handsomest man in the 
 Senate. He was defeated in 1894 stumped the State and made 
 the most gallant fight that could have been fought by any man. 
 He wrote a letter to the secretary of the State Democratic Execu 
 tive Committee urging said committee to allow the Democratic 
 voters to cast their ballots for their choice for United States 
 senator in a separate box. The letter was handed to the secre 
 tary of the Executive Committee on the 17th day of June, 1894, 
 
58 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 the day before the campaign was opened at Rock Hill. No 
 answer has ever been received by General Butler to his letter 
 making this just request. The political machinery being at the 
 time in the hands of his opponents, the people were denied the 
 right of casting a ballot direct for their choice for the Senate, as 
 they now have in the Democratic primary. 
 
 General Butler was a patriot when he entered the Senate and 
 came out a national patriot. He left a high, honorable and 
 patriotic record. He did not propound any visionary theories 
 relating to the government, but he ably sustained himself and the 
 honor of the body politic of his State and the nation at large. He 
 ably repelled in debate every assault made on his Southland by 
 prejudice and bitter partisan politicians. General Butler man 
 aged by his tact and magnetism to have and hold his warmest 
 friendships among the Republicans. 
 
 After being nominated once in an open and fair fight before 
 the Legislature, opposed by the ablest and most prominent men 
 in South Carolina, viz. : McGowan, Connor, Gary and Youmans, 
 afterwards he was nominated by acclamation twice. General 
 Butler has often said that after his first term he would willingly 
 retire but for the feeling of duty to the call of his country. In 
 battle he is the bravest of the brave; in domestic and social life 
 the gentlest of the gentle and the tenderest of the tender. 
 
 "Great in his triumphs, in retirement great." 
 
 A few months after he retired from the Senate he formed a law 
 partnership with two distinguished lawyers in the city of Wash 
 ington, D. C., under the firm name of Shelley, Butler & Martin. 
 This new firm did a very lucrative business, and it was w r hile thus 
 pursuing the even tenor of his way that the President of the 
 United States appointed him major-general in the United States 
 Army, and his confirmation as such was unanimous by the Senate 
 not even referred to a committee and he was commissioned 
 28th May, 1898. Thus we see the young and gallant major-general 
 of Confederate Cavalry leading his ragged veterans on to vic 
 tory at the battles of Reams Station, 25th August, and Bergesse s 
 Mill, 27th October, 1864, thirty-four years afterwards a major- 
 general in the United States Army, commanding the Second 
 Army Corps. And owing to his long service as a member of the 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 59 
 
 United States Senate and his thorough knowledge of diplomacy 
 he has been appointed on the Cuban Peace Commission and is 
 now (1898-1899) attending to his arduous duties at Havana. 
 
 General Butler is one of the most charitable of men always 
 throwing the mantle of charity around some unfortunates who 
 had fallen by the roadside. There is no general today who is 
 more devoted to the Confederate soldier than he. God alone 
 knows how many times he has helped old soldiers, whether they 
 wore the blue or the gray, when overtaken by old age, disease 
 and old wounds or some other cause. 
 
 "Now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three ; but the greatest 
 of these is charity." 
 
 M. C. BUTLER. 
 
 [From The Evening Record, March 8, 109.] 
 
 To that gallant soldier, patriotic statesman and delightful gen 
 tleman, M. C. Butler, on the 73rd anniversary of his birth, long 
 life, good health and happiness ! 
 
 Much history has been written since M. C. Butler first saw the 
 light, on that beautiful hillside at the foot of the Blue Ridge, and 
 in the making of that history he has played a conspicuous and an 
 honorable part. Among the first to volunteer in 1861, he attained 
 a rank which few of his years could hope to reach, and that only 
 by worth and gallantry. After that struggle he was foremost in 
 upbuilding what had been laid waste, and his services again 
 received their due reward. In a still later struggle, he was chosen, 
 as the representative of the South s soldiery, for high command in 
 the army of a reunited nation. 
 
 The battles of youth are over now, and this soldier, statesman 
 and gentleman has reached the age where he seeks only peace and 
 comfort. May he find both in their richest fullness. 
 
 DEATH OF MAJOR-GENERAL M. C. BUTLER. 
 
 [Died 14th of April, 1909.] 
 
 Matthew Calbraith Butler, noble, valiant, distinguished, all- 
 beloved son of Edgefield, lies dead in Columbia. 
 
 The passing of any set of actors in great public events from the 
 stage of life always awakens in the human breast tender emotions 
 
60 Bl TLER AND HlS CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 of reverence and regret. The last survivor of the Thermopylse 
 closed his eyes in eternal sleep amid the lamentations of the most 
 chivalrous of heroic Sparta. The passing out of the last of the 
 glorious "six hundred" who made Balaklava immortal caused a 
 sigh to swell the bosom of the most reverent worshipper at the 
 shrine of valor. The dying of the lone survivor of the "Old 
 Guard" brought a tear to the eye of every Frenchman who gloried 
 in the brilliant record of Napoleon. The last survivor of those 
 who dared to sign the Declaration of Independence went down to 
 his final rest amid the lamentations of a devoted country, which 
 dates its birth at the moment when his hand had set its seal to the 
 most important document executed in the eighteenth century. 
 
 The funeral dirge of the last patriot of the army of Washing 
 ton touched the tender sympathies of the young Republic and 
 awoke emotions of patriotic repining that the last of the army 
 which achieved the independence of this great nation had folded 
 his arms and had passed from earth to join his long lost comrades, 
 and that, of all the Continental army, there remained not one to 
 see the glories that were to come, or to recount to posterity, which 
 had come up to possess the land, the story of its redemption. 
 
 As these men were remembered and honored, so let Edgefield 
 remember and honor Matthew Calbraith Butler. James T. 
 Bacon. 
 
 GENERAL BUTLER. 
 
 Banners drooping low o er the Hero s head. 
 
 Laurel leaves are falling, gently, slowly, 
 Upon the bier of Carolina s dead, 
 
 And veterans weep, for thy tears are holy. 
 
 Oh ! knightly Warrior ! no more ! no more ! 
 
 Will thy tranquil eyes look on sabre s flash; 
 No more you ll hear the cannon s awful roar 
 
 Or soldier s moan, mid battle s din and crash. 
 
 For the tender Shepherd, the "Prince of Peace," 
 Hath softly touched thy noble, God-like brow, 
 
 And gives to thee from all thy pains surcease 
 And bids the Soldier, "Rest arms ! slumber now." 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 61 
 
 In story and in song, the Hero s name 
 
 Will live, and banners with their weight of tears 
 Droop low, for ah ! the glory of his fame 
 And valiant deeds will outlive all the years. 
 
 ELLIE BROOKS JONES. 
 15 April, 1909. 
 
 [From The State, April 2, 1900.] 
 
 Was ever there a more brilliant young general than Matthew 
 Calbraith Butler? Was ever there a more daring, more dashing, 
 and yet more thoughtful cavalry leader? Did not his personal 
 bravery add lustre to the achievements in battle of Southern 
 soldier}^? Therefore should he not be heard when he speaks of 
 those times ? 
 
 Yesterday, pain racked as he is, on a bed of illness in which 
 he is fighting with coolness and gallantry, perhaps another losing 
 fight, he thought again of the cause of erecting a monument to the 
 women of the Confederacy, which cause already he has indorsed 
 and espoused, and sent his check for $10 with the expressed hope 
 that soon, yea very soon, his comrades all and their sons would 
 give according to their means. 
 
62 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 EDGEFIELD HUSSARS 
 
 Edgefield, S. C., Thursday, June 6, 1861. 
 
 The "Edgefield Hussars,- commanded by Captain M. C. Butler, 
 left here today for Columbia to join the Hampton Legion. The 
 company numbered about fifty, but are to be joined on their 
 route by some twenty-five or thirty more. A large turnout of 
 citizens, including a brilliant array of ladies, honored the hour 
 of departure of this company of gallant troopers with their 
 presence, it having become known that the company would leave 
 here in a body. At half-past ten o clock the company was formed 
 in front of the Planter s Hotel on the public square, which was 
 full of the fair sex, and Captain A. J. Hammond, formerly cap 
 tain of the Hussars, addressed the company in a most appro 
 priate and forcible speech. His remarks filled the company with 
 emotions and melted his audience to tears. He was accompanied 
 in his position before the company by the venerable and patriotic 
 Major George Boswell, who in years gone by commanded the 
 Hussars. 
 
 After Captain Hammond concluded his soul-stirring speech, 
 Captain M. C. Butler came forward, mounted on his spirited 
 steed, in his brilliant uniform, the picture of a soldier, and said 
 in substance: 
 
 "Ladies and Fellow- Country men : The feeling and patriotic 
 remarks of Captain Hammond, to which we have just listened, 
 certainly is cheering to us, and in behalf of this company, which 
 I have the honor to command, I thank him and this lovely array 
 of our beautiful women who have honored us today with their 
 presence. In these ranks many of you have sweethearts, brothers 
 and husbands, and we go to the tented fields in the defense of 
 our homes and firesides against the invasion of the hireling foe, 
 whose only desire is for beauty and booty. We will go to the 
 front, remembering that we are all Carolinians, and we will 
 return as honored soldiers or fill a soldier s grave. We thank you 
 for your deep sympathies. It is ours to act, and not to speak. 
 You will hear from us. Farewell !" 
 
 The Hussars then filed off and left amid the adieu of their 
 many friends. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 63 
 
 THE WAR RECORD OF TWO BRAVE CONFED 
 ERATES, A CAPTAIN AND A PRIVATE, AND 
 A COLLOQUY BETWEEN A MAJOR 
 AND A SERGEANT 
 
 There were days when the Confederate soldier was not certain 
 whether he would dine or not, but, being mostly young, he was 
 hopeful, and being hopeful, courageous. 
 
 It affords me great pleasure to certify to the record of Captain John 
 Meighan, Troop C. Second South Carolina Regiment, Confederate States 
 Army, as one of good and efficient service rendered throughout the War 
 between the States North and South. 
 
 I knew Captain Meighan from the date of the assignment of his regiment 
 to the command of General Wade Hampton in the Army of Northern Vir 
 ginia, first as part of the Hampton Legion Cavalry, afterwards as part of 
 the first brigade of cavalry, known as Hampton s Brigade, afterwards as 
 part of the First (Hampton s) Cavalry, Division Army Northern Virginia. 
 
 I was at first adjutant of the Hampton Legion, then adjutant-general of 
 Hampton s Cavalry Brigade and afterwards adjutant-general of the First 
 (Hampton s) Division of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of Northern Vir 
 ginia, and in these official positions I knew of Captain Meighan s service 
 and of the estimation in which he was held by General Hampton and his 
 other commanding officers as well as by his brother officers and the men of 
 his own troop and regiment, as well as those of other dommands in the 
 service and am able to testify to his four years of gallant, patriotic and 
 devoted as well as efficient service. 
 
 (Signed) THEODORE G. BARKER. 
 Charleston, S. C., 1 Feby., 1905. 
 
 It gives me great pleasure to add my testimony to that of Major Theodore 
 G. Barker, the former adjutant of the Hampton Legion and later adjutant- 
 general of Hampton s Cavalry Brigade, A. N. V. 
 
 I knew Captain John Meighan when his troop was attached to the Legion. 
 I remember him as captain of Troop "C," Second South Carolina Cavalry, 
 Hampton s old brigade, and I can most cheerfully endorse the sentiment 
 expressed in the certificate annexed. 
 
 His gallantry was recognized throughout the Cavalry Corps of the "Army 
 of Northern Virginia." 
 
 (Signed) B. W. TAYLOR, 
 Asst. Surgeon Hampton Legion. 
 Surgeon Hampton s old Brigade. 
 Surgeon Hampton s Division. 
 Surgeon Hampton s Corps. 
 Columbia, S. C., May 8, 1905. 
 
64 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Captain John Meighan, Troop "C," Second South Carolina Cavalry, served 
 under my command in the "Army of Northern Virginia, C. S. A." During 
 the War Between the States there was no braver, more faithful, conscien 
 tious officer or soldier in the Confederate Army. Always ready to discharge 
 his full duty in any emergency, whether in battle or otherwise. I justly 
 and confidently relied upon his courage, judgment^ and pluck under all 
 circumstances, and cherish his memory as a gallant comrade and friend. 
 
 (Signed) M. C. BUTLER, 
 
 Maj. Gen l., C. S. A. 
 November 15, 1905. 
 
 John Meighan commenced his service in the Confederate Army as First 
 Lieutenant "Congaree Mounted Riflemen" of Columbia, S. C. The company 
 was first ordered to Charleston prior to the fall of Fort Sumter. After the 
 reduction of that fort Colonel Wade Hampton was authorized to raise a 
 legion consisting of cavalry, infantry and artillery. This was accomplished, 
 and this company became a part of the cavalry constituting that legion. 
 After the first battle of Manassas it had been determined to create a 
 brigade of cavalry, which Wade Hampton was to command ; however, the 
 plan did not materialize until after the great battle of Seven Pines. For 
 gallantry displayed by Hampton and the Legion, the commission of briga 
 dier was conferred upon him by the Congress of the Confederate States. 
 The cavalry of the legion was consolidated with other companies, and 
 became the Second South Carolina Cavalry. M. C. Butler became colonel 
 September, 1862; Frank Hampton lieutenant-colonel. At the battle of 
 Brandy Station, in a hand-to-hand conflict with a Yankee officer, Colonel 
 Frank Hampton was shot through and through the body by another Yankee 
 private who attacked him from the rear. Colonel Hampton rode nearly a 
 half mile before his horse fell under him, both horse and master died from 
 wounds received that day. This battle occurred June the 9th, 18(33. I 
 mention this incident because Colonel Hampton and Captain Meighan had 
 been friends for years. The regiment served in Virginia until Butler s new 
 brigade relieved them in 1864 here in Columbia. The Second Cavalry were 
 then ordered to the coast of South Carolina, where they did splendid 
 service until Sherman s advance through the Carolinas, when they were 
 ordered to Wilmington, N. C., ,and finally surrendered with Johnston s Army 
 at Greensboro, 26th April, 1865. 
 
 This anecdote was told me by General Hampton more than once. 
 
 In 1862 as Hampton was withdrawing through the streets of Frederick, 
 Md., the Yankees pressed so closely upon his rear with infantry and 
 artillery that he found it necessary to check their pursuit in order to insure 
 orderly withdrawal of his brigade. The Yanks had planted a gun in the 
 suburbs of the city and were firing along the street through which Hampton 
 must pass. The gun was supported by the Thirtieth Ohio Infantry and by 
 two companies of cavalry. Colonel M. C. Butler, of the Second South Caro 
 lina Cavalry, was directed to attack. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 65 
 
 Captain Meighan s squadron made the charge, supported by the brigade 
 provost guard of forty men, under Captain J. F. Waring. Captain John 
 Meighan rode over the gun, dispersed its support, and captured the officer 
 in command (Colonel Morse of the Thirtieth Ohio) and seven other pris 
 oners. He might have brought off the gun had not five of its horses been 
 killed in the fight. This sharp action protected Hampton s rear, and his 
 brigade was slowly withdrawn to Middletown, leaving the Jeff Davis 
 Legion and two guns, under Lieutenant-Colonel W. T. Martin, to hold the 
 gap in the Catectin Mountain. 
 
 (Signed) WADE HAMPTON MANNING, 
 "Orderly" Lieutenant-General Wade Hampton. 
 Columbia, S. C., 4 March, 1905. 
 
 Major John Meighan was born in Drogheda, Ireland, llth 
 December, 1817, and came to Columbia, S. C., in 1845. When the 
 war lighted up he was a member of the large shoe firm of G. M. 
 Thomson & Co. He died 29th June, 1901. His devoted wife, two 
 accomplished daughters and his handsome son. Major Hugh 
 Meighan, the cashier of the Carolina National Bank, survive him. 
 Major John Meighan was the very soul of honor. 
 
 A Short Sketch of the Confederate Services of Gallant Phil 
 Hutchinson, "The Scout** 
 
 When South Carolina seceded on the 20th December, I860, the 
 subject of this sketch heard about it on the 22nd, and on the 23rd 
 he mounted his horse and joined the Rutledge Mounted Riflemen, 
 which was raised by Captain W. L. Trenholm. He remained with 
 this command until after the fall of Fort Sumter. The Yankees 
 being scarce in South Carolina then, he left this command and 
 enlisted in the Washington Light Artillery, of the Hampton 
 Legion, Stephen D. Lee, captain. Upon the organization of the 
 Legion, this glorious command was ordered to Virginia, where 
 Phil Hutchinson remained until after the seven days battles 
 around Richmond. McClellan s Army being shattered, he 
 resigned as lieutenant in this battery, afterwards known as Hart s 
 famous battery, and returned to South Carolina and joined the 
 Charleston Light Dragoons as a private in that famous and his 
 toric old troop the oldest in the United States (organized in 
 1733), which was known as Troop "K," Fourth South Carolina 
 Cavalry, of Butler s old brigade. 
 
 5 B. C. 
 
66 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 On the 22d October, 1862, the battle of Pocotaligo was fought 
 by Colonel W. S. Walker with a small force of infantry, dis 
 mounted cavalry and sections from two batteries of artillery, 
 amounting in all to 675 men and officers. A Federal force of 
 4,448 of all arms, under the command of Brigadier-General Bran- 
 nan, met them. Walker s force consisted of a part of Nelson s 
 battery, two sections of Elliott s battery and the following com 
 mands : Major J. H. Morgan s Battalion of Cavalry, the Charles 
 ton Light Dragoons, Captain Kirk s Partisan Rangers, Captain 
 Allston s Company of Sharpshooters, Captain D. B. Heyward s 
 Company of Cavalry, and Captain A. C. Izard s Company of the 
 Eleventh South Carolina Infantry. Major Joseph Abney, with 
 two companies of his battalion of sharpshooters, did excellent 
 work. 
 
 Nelson s battalion came up just in time, 200 strong, under Cap 
 tain W. H. Sligh, on Walker s right and swelled the gallant little 
 band to about 800 men. Half of Sligh s command, under Captain 
 J. H. Brooks, took position and opened fire from the woods 
 fringing the Pocotaligo River. All of these troops behaved gal 
 lantly. 
 
 Phil Hutchinson was curious to know how many Yankees were 
 in the fight, so he walked along a causeway which looked like 
 certain death to attempt. He got a good view of the Yankees, 
 and they got a better one of him, and fortunately they did not 
 kill him. He promptly reported the Yankee situation to Colonel 
 Walker, who then knew exactly where to concentrate his fire, 
 which made General Brannan retire to his gunboats in quick 
 order. 
 
 Major Morgan was severely wounded in this fight and was one 
 of the best officers in Butler s old brigade. He was shot in the 
 heel in the battle of Gravel Run, Virginia, 23d August, 1864. 
 After his leg was amputated, he said immediately to Wallace 
 Miller : "I can kick like hell with the stump yet, Wallace." 
 
 General M. C. Butler was made a brigadier-general on the 1st 
 September, 1863, and selected from the coast of South Carolina 
 three cavalry regiments, the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth, which was 
 known throughout the Army of Northern Virginia as Butler s 
 famous brigade. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 67 
 
 In the battle of Hawes Shop, which occurred on Saturday, the 
 28tu May, 1864, Phil Hutchinson behaved with much distinction 
 until late in the day, when he received a wound that laid him up 
 for three months. Upon his return to the "Army of Northern 
 Virginia" General Hampton appointed him as one of his scouts. 
 When a man got such appointment from Hampton or Butler it 
 simply meant he was cool and courageous at all times. No 
 ordinary man could fill the position. 
 
 During Phil s absence his friend J. W. Boone took charge of 
 his horse, and was killed and his horse lost. So this scout imme 
 diately bought a horse for one thousand and fifty dollars, and 
 after receiving the necessary passports went forward to join 
 Sergeant Shadbourne, and after wandering and hunting between 
 the lines for two days he succeeded in locating and joining Shad- 
 bourne. They soon located a squad of Yankees. When the 
 charge was made, Phil s horse held a very high head and received 
 a bullet in his throat which killed him, so he (Phil) was afoot 
 again. The Yankees outran them and got away. 
 
 Just three days later they decided to charge a picket post, and 
 captured about twenty horses and took the entire squad of 
 Yankees in out of the dew I mean all that were not killed in the 
 fight got safely to Libby Prison. When the prisoners were 
 counted, only one answered to roll call. As the Irishman said, 
 "those that did not surrender were speachless." These scouts had 
 a great many narrow escapes. Whenever they would lose a horse, 
 they knew where the Yankee picket posts were located, and lost 
 no time in getting remounts. 
 
 In April, 1864, General Hampton saw Wallace Miller in 
 Columbia, S. C., on a beautiful thoroughbred mare and suggested 
 that as he was going back to Virginia as a scout to return the 
 animal to the plantation to raise colts, for the war would last 
 at least ten years longer, and also said to Miller that the Yankees 
 had good horses, and "you scouts know how to get them," and he 
 acted as suggested. 
 
 Phil Hutchinson had accomplished such good work that in 
 December, 1864, General Hampton approved his application for 
 a short furlough. Soon after the furlough was granted, Hampton 
 and Butler were ordered to Columbia, S. C., where Phil and his 
 brother scout, Joel R. Adams, reported to headquarters with fresh 
 
68 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 horses, and with other scouts kept Hampton and Butler thor 
 oughly posted as to the movements of the enemy from January, 
 at Columbia, to the end of the war through South and Xorth 
 Carolina. In that beautifully written little book, a sketch of the 
 "Charleston Light Dragoons," by Edward K Wells, I copy the 
 following : 
 
 "The Dragoons who were with the army were surrendered by 
 Johnston. They were formed in line and the momentous news 
 announced. Hutchinson (Phil Hutchinson), w r ho had done 
 notably good service at Pocotaligo, had been wounded at Hawes 
 Shop, and had afterwards, as already related, performed severe 
 duty as a scout, burst into tears, threw his hat passionately on 
 the ground, and spoke wild words. There were many instances 
 of the same kind." 
 
 General Butler had the most remarkable memory for faces. 
 names, dates and horses. 
 
 The following incident, not altogether without its humor and 
 pathos, serves well to illustrate the keen observation and thought- 
 fulness of General Butler. Late one afternoon in May, 1862, 
 shortly after the battle of Williamsburg, the Confederate forces 
 having fallen back and gone into temporary encampment, Gen 
 eral (then Major) M. C. Butler, riding along at the head of a 
 company of cavalry, met a rider on a gray horse, with a bag of 
 corn in front of him. He accosted him and the following 
 colloquy took place : 
 
 "Who are you?" 
 
 "I am First Sergeant Y. J. Pope, of Company E, Third South 
 Carolina Infantry, of Kershaw s Brigade, which is encamped 
 about a half-mile distant." 
 
 "Where did you get that horse?" 
 
 "Colonel William Drayton Rutherford, of the Third South 
 Carolina Regiment, -captured him on the battlefield of Williams- 
 burg, and knowing that on account of a spell of typhoid fever I 
 was unable to walk a long distance, he turned the horse over to 
 me that I might keep up with the regiment." 
 
 "That horse belonged to one of my men, Boggs, of the Brooks 
 Troop of the Hampton Cavalry, who was killed at the Battle of 
 Williamsburg. That horse could be sold and the money sent to 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 60 
 
 his widow at her home in Greenville, S. C. I wish, however, that 
 yon will keep him until tomorrow, when I will send for him." 
 
 To this the rider readily consented. He rode the horse back to 
 camp and cared for him during the night, and next morning 
 turned him over to General Butler. 
 
 Little did these two then young soldiers think that they would 
 be so severely wounded and survive the war and fill with such 
 distinction two of the highest positions within the gift of the 
 people. The then Orderly Sergeant Pope was fearfully wounded 
 several times. His first was received 13th December, 1862, at the 
 Battle of Fredericksburg ; at the Battle of Gettysburg, 2nd July, 
 1863, a bursting shell gave him four wounds; afterwards, on the 
 19th September, 1863, at the Battle of Chickamauga ; then at the 
 Battle of Berryville in September, 1864, a minnie ball passed 
 through his cheek and out of the mouth, and again on the 19th 
 October, 1864, at Cedar Run, Virginia, when a bullet destroyed 
 his left eye and lodged in his head. 
 
 Since the war he was mayor of Xewberry, county judge of 
 Xewberry, State senator, attorney-general, associate justice, 
 and is now (1908) the able and accomplished chief justice of the 
 Supreme Court of South Carolina. He is acknowledged as one 
 of the ablest .stump speakers in the South. 
 
 Major M. C. Butler commenced his army career as captain, 
 12th June, 1861; major, 21st July, 1861; colonel Second South 
 Carolina Cavalry, 22d August, 1862 ; brigadier-general, 1st Sep 
 tember, 1863 ; major-general, 19th September, 1864 ; lost his right 
 leg 9th June, 1863, at the Battle of Brandy Station. After the 
 war, served eighteen years as United States senator (1877 to 1905) , 
 and on the 28th May, 1898, was commissioned by President 
 McKinley as major-general in the United States Army in the 
 Spanish- American war, and is today one of the most prominent 
 lawyers and statesmen in the United States. During the three 
 terms that he served in the Senate, he was the handsomest mem 
 ber, the best diplomat that South Carolina ever sent to the Senate 
 and one of the best orators, in this the most distinguished body on 
 earth. By his eloquence and persistent work he got the bill 
 through to put the jettys in the Charleston, S. C., harbor, and did 
 more to establish the navy of the United States than any other 
 man, except Senator Hale. 
 
70 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 GENERAL BUTLER S NARRATIVE 
 
 Descriptive of an Event During the Evacuation of Yorktown 
 by the Confederates in May, 1862 
 
 It will be remembered that General Joseph E. Johnston, who 
 at that time commanded the Army of Northern Virginia, with 
 drew his forces in the winter of 1862 from the lines in front of 
 Manassas, and reinforced General John B. Magruder, in com 
 mand of the troops on the peninsula of Virginia, with his head 
 quarters at or near Yorktown. 
 
 Magruder had fortified his lines with very heavy earthworks, 
 forts and entrenchments, and they were strengthened on the 
 arrival of General Johnston with his reinforcements, so that from 
 the York River on the east, to the James River on the south and 
 west, there was a strong line of defensive works. McClellan, the 
 Federal commander, confronted Johnston with a powerful, well- 
 equipped and disciplined army, with his base of operations at 
 Fortress Monroe, and adjacent points, supported by a strong 
 naval force in the adjoining waters. An examination of the map 
 will show what a vantage ground he had ; a powerful fortress and 
 vessels of war in his immediate rear, with nothing to threaten 
 or disturb his base of supplies, with two large navigable rivers on 
 both of Johnston s flanks. Johnston had no naval support, none 
 of account, with a long line of communication to his base, Rich 
 mond. 
 
 McClellan, however, must have concluded Johnston s position 
 was too strong to be carried by direct assault, so he sat down in 
 front of him, and began a siege by parallels, and no doubt would 
 eventually have prevailed with his great advantage of position 
 and marine support. 
 
 General Johnston realized McClellan s superior strategic posi 
 tion, with both flanks more or less exposed to attack from the 
 Federal war ships, while he was receiving an attack in front, and 
 decided to evacuate his works, and move back on Richmond. The 
 retreat began on May 3, 1862. General G. W. Smith had charge 
 of the line of retreat on the York River side, and, I believe, Gen- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 71 
 
 eral Longstreet on the James Kiver side. At that time I com 
 manded a battalion of four companies of cavalry, encamped at 
 Whitaker s Mill, about three miles back of Yorktown. 
 
 In the order of march, I was assigned the duty of bringing up 
 the rear of Smith s division, consisting of Whiting s, Hood s and 
 Hampton s brigades of infantry and several batteries of light 
 artillery. I trust I may be pardoned for this reference to myself, 
 but it is necessary, to make my statement intelligible. 
 
 The general order, of which a copy was delivered to me, 
 directed that Whiting, in immediate command of his own, and 
 the other two brigades, Hood s and Hampton s, should follow 
 D. H. Hill s division, that Hill would move at sunset on the 
 evening of the 3d of May, and that I should bring up Whiting s 
 rear with the cavalry. Whiting moved out about two miles from 
 Yorktown on the Williamsburg road, and halted for Hill s 
 departure. He sent me in to report when Hill had left. I accord 
 ingly rode into Yorktown between sunset and dusk and found 
 Hill had broken camp. Everything was astir as Hill moved out, 
 and I so reported to Whiting. Here was the beginning of my 
 troubles for the night. 
 
 As I rode along the streets of this antiquated and celebrated 
 town, a small boy. I suppose some drummer boy of Hill s division, 
 yelled out to me at the top of his voice, "Look out, sir, a torpedo 
 has been planted in front of you." I looked down and, sure 
 enough, just in front of me I discovered the fresh earth where the 
 boy said the torpedo had been planted. My horse s feet could not 
 have missed it twelve inches, and, it goes without saying, I gave 
 a wide berth to it afterwards, and required no further admoni 
 tion to look out for fresh earth as long as I remained thereabouts 
 that evening. 
 
 It was also provided in the general order that a "desultory 
 fire" should be kept up by our artillerymen on McClellan s works 
 until nine o clock that night, so as to cover the retreat, when the 
 gunners were to move rapidly out and join their commander. 
 When the firing ceased, Whiting was to break up his bivouac and 
 follow towards Williamsburg. 
 
 Inasmuch as we were to march in the night time, a night signal, 
 of three claps of the hands, answered by three whistles, was incor 
 porated in the order of march, so that we might distinguish friend 
 from foe. 
 
72 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 The night was quite cool, and Whiting had a blazing fire 
 kindled in an open field, around which gathered Whiting, Hood, 
 Hampton, several others and myself, awaiting the signal the 
 cessation of the artillery fire at Yorktown we waited and waited 
 and waited. The hour of nine had passed and still we could hear 
 an occasional shot, until about midnight. I returned to my 
 bivouac in the edge of an adjacent wood, and had just curled 
 myself under a tree lap, with my saddle for a pillow, to snatch a 
 brief nap, when, to add to the pleasures of the situation, a courier 
 rode up with an order from General AVhiting to report to him at 
 once with a mounted detachment. I accordingly ordered out 
 Captain McFie with about forty men, and promptly reported. He 
 directed me to proceed at once to Yorktown, have the town and 
 forts patrolled, and ascertain what the firing meant, that he had 
 been notified would cease at nine o clock. It was then after mid 
 night and the desultory fire" was still kept up. 
 
 Imagine the prospect of riding into and through a town in the 
 small hours of a dark night, where I learned the deadly torpedo 
 had been planted for the benefit of the incoming army. There 
 was nothing else to do. When I rode into the town, and as I 
 then apprehended "into the jaw T s of death," there was not a sound, 
 not a light, except in a vacated hospital on the principal street. 
 On examination the hospital was found to contain two contra 
 bands negroes who were awaiting the arrival of their deliv 
 erers. Sending them to the rear was the work of a very few 
 minutes. We continued our explorations through the town and 
 below, to the main line of fortifications. The stillness and dark 
 ness of the place was dismal, oppressive, aggravated, and 
 intensified by the contrast with the scene the last time I had 
 visited it about sunset, when all was bustle and haste; and also 
 by the crop of torpedoes, lurking, we knew not where. 
 
 There was no firing, no human being apart from our own 
 detachment. Thinking, perhaps, our cannoneers might have mis 
 taken us for Federal cavalry and concealed themselves, I dis 
 mounted, moved alone through the abandoned Confederate camp 
 where the "A" tents left standing had been cut into shreds, and 
 their tattered walls flapped listlessly in the night breeze. I 
 climbed to the top of the fortifications and gave the night signal, 
 but received in return not a sound. I could hear the rumbling 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 73 
 
 noise from McClellan s camps, as he was digging away on his 
 approaches. Returning to the courier, McTear, who was holding 
 my horse, I was just in the act of mounting when I observed a 
 flash in the water, Avhere the Federal fleet was anchored, and in an 
 instant a meteor-like light described the arc of a circle in the 
 heavens, and much quicker that it takes me to tell it, a huge shell 
 exploded not more than forty feet from us. To say that we were 
 demoralized by this sudden and unexpected explosion, so uncom 
 fortably near, would be a very mild way of putting it. 
 
 This unwelcome messenger from the enemy s vessels explained 
 the mystery. Our men had ceased firing at nine o clock, but the 
 cannoneers of the Federal fleet had not, and that is w r hat misled 
 AVhiting and all of us. I need not say to any old soldier in this 
 audience, we did not let the grass grow under our feet getting out 
 of Yorktown that night, notwithstanding the budding crop of 
 torpedoes. I, however, dispatched McTear in haste to inform 
 General Whiting that the firing we had heard was from the 
 enemy s vessels, and followed as rapidly as we dared, sending 
 Lieutenant John T. Rhett with six men along the beach of York 
 River to patrol that part of the toAvn to make sure that there was 
 no enemy lurking there. 
 
 Just before reaching the outlet through the entrenchments, or 
 sort of sally-port on the upper side of the town, a very amusing 
 but natural alarm occurred. We were moving along at a rapid 
 walk in columns of fours, when Captain McFie, at the head of the 
 column near me, knocked his pipe on the pummel of his saddle. 
 The sparks dropped on each side, and as if by instinct, men and 
 horses filed off suddenly to the right and left, imagining we had 
 at last struck a torpedo. Happily it was a false alarm. 
 
 In a very few T minutes we encountered another peril in fact, it 
 may be said it was a night of perils and a chapter of incidents. 
 We had scarcely cleared the main entrenchment above Yorktown, 
 Avhen we were hailed by one of those threatening salutations, 
 rendered almost weird and fierce by the "solemn stillness" of the 
 night "Who comes there?" Now, mind you, we had passed 
 down this same road not more than an hour before this, perhaps 
 not so long, and I had not been notified that any other Confed 
 erate was to be at or near Yorktown, and, as it turned out, the 
 officer whom I met had no knowledge of our being there. So you 
 
74 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 may imagine our mutual surprise. Fortunately, I had ridden a 
 little in advance of the column after the pipe incident, and thus 
 received the challenge in person. I replied in the usual way, "A 
 friend with the countersign." The man had either not been 
 informed of the night signal, or had forgotten it. He yelled out 
 again, "Who comes there?" I replied again in* tone and language, 
 not as gentle as would be used in the boudoir of a fair lady, 
 "Friend with the countersign; why don t you order me to dis 
 mount, advance, and give the countersign?" Meantime I was 
 advancing, imagining I heard the click of his carbine. Finally I 
 got near him and told him who I was. There was relief on both 
 sides, for it turned out that the man was a vidette from the Tenth 
 Virginia Cavalry. He informed me his regiment was just at the 
 foot of the hill, and that he had been posted there by order of 
 Colonel J. Lucius Davis as gallant a gentleman as ever wielded 
 a sabre. I found the Tenth Virginia, with men all dismounted, 
 at a wharf or landing, destroying quartermaster stores. 
 
 Colonel Davis and myself exchanged greetings, and I passed on 
 to report to Whiting. Not far from the wharf or landing, just 
 south of it, was a newly built house, which, I was informed, was 
 an ordnance storehouse, with fixed ammunition and other 
 ordnance stores. 
 
 When we had proceeded about two hundred yards from where 
 we had parted with Colonel Davis, we heard a loud explosion, 
 followed by what appeared to be successive volleys of musketry 
 about where we had so recently left the Tenth Virginia. I was 
 struck by surprise and bewilderment, as you may well imagine. 
 I am sure not more than ten or fifteen minutes had elapsed since 
 I had patrolled the town without finding the enemy, and a brief 
 five minutes since I had made my parting salutations to Colonel 
 Davis, and yet the indications were that he was being savagely 
 attacked. I at once dispatched a messenger to him, saying I 
 would return to his aid if necessary, and he desired it. Very 
 soon the second mystery was explained. He sent me word he was 
 not being attacked, that he had sent three men to destroy the 
 ordnance storehouse, and when they pushed the door to enter, 
 an "infernal machine" fixed there to catch the Yankees, had gone 
 off, killed one of his men and wounded another. In addition to 
 this, it had ignited the ammunition, which went off in volleys, and 
 waked the echoes for miles. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 75 
 
 We pushed on toward General Whiting, and had not proceeded 
 far, when we.encountered another "lone sentinel," who challenged 
 me more fiercely than the first. This time it was an infantryman. 
 I believe our "web-footed" friends say they are more dangerous 
 than the "critter companies," but I had about the same experience 
 with the foot soldier that I had with the cavalryman. We finally 
 got by this trouble to encounter a more dangerous and threatening 
 one not that we could not have taken care of one man, but if a 
 shot had been fired under the circumstances, it is difficult to say 
 what would have happened. 
 
 The third and last "call" was from a company of infantry. 
 The men were deployed across the fork in the road. It was 
 fortunately getting a little light. The first streaks of the early 
 dawn were breaking. The officer in charge, hearing the volleys 
 from the column approaching from the direction of the enemy, 
 naturally supposed we were enemies. His men had their guns 
 cocked, ready to fire, when he recognized us. What a deliverance ! 
 I explained what might be regarded a "comedy of errors," but 
 for the deadly work of the "infernal machine," and sought 
 Whiting. Hood, Hampton and himself had been startled by what 
 they supposed was musketry firing and were mounted, rapidly 
 making their dispositions for a fight. Troops were deployed in 
 line of battle, batteries stationed, ambulances and supply trains 
 ordered to the rear, and the field bristled with bayonets. After 
 learning the true state of affairs, breaking the line into columns 
 and heading towards Williamsburg with a swinging stride, was 
 the work of a few minutes. 
 
 After his column got fairly under way, Whiting sent me back 
 to the vicinity of Yorktown. Halting on the hill where we first 
 heard the ordnance house volleys, about sunrise I heard the shouts 
 of McClellan s troops, when doubtless they were aroused by the 
 work of the "infernal machine," and apprised of our departure. 
 So that instead of forty-eight hours, it was not twelve before 
 McClellan must have known of the evacuation. How long it 
 might have been but for the "infernal machine," of course, is a 
 matter of conjecture, but the facts are as I have related them. 
 
 The only criticism to which I think McClellan is amenable was 
 that he did not have a flying column mobilized and ready to 
 advance promptly and overtake Johnston s retreating army. I 
 
76 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 brought up the rear of G. W. Smith s command, Fender s regi 
 ment of Whiting s brigade holding the rear of the infantry 
 column. We moved leisurely the entire day of the 4th of May, 
 frequently halting at long intervals, and were not approached by 
 the enemy until late that afternoon in the neighborhood of Wil- 
 liamsburg, which, as I now remember, is nine* miles from York- 
 town. About 4 P. M., I was joined by Colonel J. Lucius Davis 
 with his Tenth Regiment of Virginians, and Lieutenant- Colonel, 
 afterwards Brigadier-General W. C. Wickham with the Fourth 
 Virginia Cavalry, my battalion being still in the rear. We 
 observed across a wide, open field a line of mounted skirmishers, 
 deployed in perfect order, covering the entire field. I appealed to 
 Colonel Davis, the ranking officer present, to be allowed to charge 
 them with my four companies, but he would not consent, and the 
 approaching line did not advance, but was content with firing a 
 few shots at long range. We leisurely withdrew, passed Fort 
 Magruder, and drew up in a line in an open field near Williams- 
 burg. We had scarcely dismounted, standing to horse, when a 
 messenger came at full speed saying General Johnston w r anted the 
 cavalry. To mount and be off in a gallop was a movement quickly 
 executed. My command, happening to be nearest, and, therefore, 
 the first to receive the- order, took the advance. 
 
 General Johnston and his staff were standing on the roadside, 
 not far from Fort Magruder, a strong earthwork occupied by 
 McLaws Brigade. General Johnston ordered me to report to 
 General McLaw r s at the fort. McLaws pointed to about four 
 squadrons of Federal cavalry drawn up in an apple orchard some 
 three hundred yards north of the fort, and said, "I want you to 
 drive that cavalry away." We made at them, put them to flight 
 and drove them pell mell across a ravine very wet and boggy, 
 many of their horses floundering in the mud, and captured seven 
 teen men and horses. Pursuing up the other declivity we ran into 
 their reserves, the United States Second Dragoons. The whole 
 regiment then made for my four companies, and it came our time 
 to get back. At one time we were mixed up with the Federals, 
 and it was one of the very -few occasions during the war that I 
 ever saw an opportunity to use the sabre. 
 
 Night coming on, we retired to our bivouacs, for much needed 
 rest and food for men and animals. The next day the battle of 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 77 
 
 Williamsburg was fought, but I will not attempt an account of 
 that, as I fear your patience is fatigued already by too much 
 detail. 
 
 The point I desire to bring out by this narrative is that forty- 
 eight hours did not elapse before McClellan discovered Johnston s 
 retreat. Second, that but for Whiting s naturally mistaking the 
 "desultory fire" from the Federal fleet for that of our own artil 
 lerymen, he would probably have reached Williamsburg about 
 the time he left the vicinity of Yorktown, and third, that the 
 chances were McClellan would not have known of our retiring for 
 several hours later than he did but for the explosion of the 
 ordnance storehouse, and, therefore, the battle of Williamsburg 
 might have been avoided. 
 
 Those familiar with military operations and how battles are 
 fought, need not be reminded of what influence small accidents 
 or incidents have on results, often determining the fate of 
 armies, and sometimes of governments and dynasties. 
 
 I remember it was said at the time, if the courier from Beaure- 
 gard to Bonham and Longstreet occupying the right of our line 
 at the first battle of Manassas, with an order to move forward 
 their brigades had not lost his way, McClellan s army beaten by 
 our left and centre, retreating towards Washington in confusion 
 and panic, might have been intercepted and captured. 
 
 The failure of Fitz John Porter to receive Pope s order in time, 
 as was claimed, or his failure to obey it, as was charged by Pope, 
 was advanced by Pope and his defenders as the reason for Pope s 
 loss of the battle of Manassas. 
 
 Many, many incidents might be cited to show what insignificant 
 events effect great results. A case in point is of very recent occur 
 rence, the shooting and attempted assassination of the Chinese 
 Peace Envoy, Li Hung Chang, by a Japanese crank or lunatic, 
 is said to have mollified the intense war spirit of the Japanese, 
 and not only hastened the treaty of peace, but abated the terms 
 and conditions contemplated by the victorious Japanese. 
 
 Many of you doubtless recall the graphic description given by 
 Victor Hugo of the battle of Waterloo in his marvelous book, 
 "Les Miserables." He represents Xapoleon as having impressed a 
 Belgian peasant, Lacoste, as a guide, and kept him by his side 
 strapped to his horse. At the crisis of this great historic battle 
 
78 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 on the result of which hung the fate of Europe, Napoelon is said 
 to have asked the peasant guide a question, to which he nodded 
 assent. Thereupon the Emperor ordered that celebrated but fatal 
 charge of the cuirasseurs, the miscarriage of which turned the 
 tide of battle against him. The inference *was that Napoleon 
 asked the unfriendly guide if the ground was suited for cavalry 
 manoeuvres, and the guide answered in the affirmative, knowing 
 the contrary to be true, intentionally leading Napoleon into a 
 blunder at a vital crisis. 
 
 Of course allowances must be made for the embellishments of a 
 novelist, but, I believe, the facts he states are substantially cor 
 rect, and Victor Hugo draws the conclusion from them, that not 
 only was the battle of Waterloo decided, but the map of Europe 
 changed "by the nod of a peasant." 
 
 After the battle of Williamsburg, Johnston s retreat into the 
 fortifications around Richmond, the investment of that city by 
 McClellan, the battle of Seven Pines, the wounding of Johnston 
 and assignment of Lee to the command of the army, the san 
 guinary seven days fighting at Mechanicsville, Eraser s Farm, 
 Gaines Mill, Old Cold Harbor, Malvern Hill, and McClellan s 
 discomfiture and retirement to his gunboats on the James River, 
 are matters of history. 
 
 There was one manoeuvre in those series of brillant movements 
 about \vhich I have felt anxious to procure correct information 
 without success whether Johnston, before he retired from the 
 command of the army, or Lee after he assumed command, con 
 ceived the strategy, by which Jackson crossed the mountains from 
 the valley and struck McClellan such a blow on his right flank at 
 Mechanicsville, and doubled it back on his center. Either of 
 these great generals, both masters in the art of war, was capable 
 of the brilliant conception, but I doubt if another living soldier 
 could have executed it as did the immortal Jackson. My rank 
 did not entitle me to the confidence of those entrusted with the 
 conduct of military operations, but I remember the gossip in the 
 army decided that Jackson was being greatly reinforced from 
 Richmond to enable him to cross the Potomac and strike Wash 
 ington in the rear. What must have been our surprise, then, and 
 what the surprise of the Federals, when Jackson appeared sud 
 denly and hurled his terrific thunderbolts against McClellan s 
 right. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 79 
 
 I do not recall any strategy of the war, or of any war, more 
 brilliant in conception or more splendid and brilliant in execution. 
 
 McClellan has been charged with being slow of movement, 
 over-cautious, wanting in boldness and audacity, but he was a 
 great soldier, a profound student of the art of war, great in organ 
 ization, discipline and perfection of his plans active and 
 initiative in their execution. It is no disparagement to the 
 greatest soldiers on either side to say, in many respects he was the 
 equal of the greatest of them. 
 
 It behooved him to be cautious and wary in the presence of such 
 military giants as confronted him, and he furnished the best 
 evidence of his high soldierly qualities, by the manner in which he 
 extricated himself from the clutches of Lee and Jackson in the 
 seven days fighting, preserving the morale of his army under the 
 terrible pounding of Lee s legions, always presenting a fierce, 
 fighting line of battle, whenever the gauntlet was thrown down. 
 
80 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 BUTLER AT CHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA 
 
 On the morning of the 9th of October, 18S2, eighteen hundred 
 cavalrymen were to rendezvous at Darkesville, Va. Six hundred 
 of the best-mounted and most reliable men had been selected 
 from each of the three brigades of Hampton, Fitz Lee and Rob 
 ertson, and these detachments were commanded respectively by 
 Brigadier-General Wade Hampton, Colonel W. H. F. Lee and 
 Colonel William E. Jones. Major John Pelham commanded the 
 four guns which accompanied the expedition. When the troops 
 had assembled at the rendezvous, Stuart issued to them the fol 
 lowing addess : 
 
 "Soldiers ! You are about to engage in an enterprise which, to 
 insure success, imperatively demands at your hands coolness, 
 decision and bravery; implicit obedience to orders without a 
 question or cavil; and the strictest order and sobriety on the 
 march and in bivouac. The destination and extent of this expe 
 dition had better be kept to myself than known to you. Suffice 
 it to say, that with the hearty cooperation of officers and men I 
 have not a doubt of its success a success which will reflect credit 
 in the highest degree upon your arms. The orders which are here 
 published for your government are absolutely necessary, and must 
 be rigidly enforced." 
 
 Every nerve of every man responded to Stuart s address. The 
 command bivouacked for the night at Hedgesville, Va. On the 
 morning of the 10th, Colonel M. C. Butler, of the Second South 
 Carolina Cavalry, who led Hampton s advance, added to this 
 party Lieutenant Robert Shiver, an experienced scout, and six 
 picked men from his owi regiment. Before daylight every man 
 was in the saddle. Butler, at the head of Captain John Chesnut s 
 company, was at the ford, listening for some token of Shiver and 
 his men. Soon it came. Shiver had not succeeded in surrounding 
 the picket, but he drove it in so rapidly that the fugitives were 
 cut off from their reserve, and were unable to report the attack 
 made upon them. One Federal soldier was wounded and several 
 horses were captured. 
 
 At the first sound from the opposite side Butler plunged into 
 the river and secured the ford, and the whole command made a 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 81 
 
 quick and quiet crossing. The advance was immediately pressed 
 forward to the National Turnpike, which joins Hagerstown and 
 Hancock, near which, upon Fair View Heights, was established a 
 Federal signal station. Along the road, between three and five 
 o clock that morning, had passed General Cox s division of 
 infantry. Butler reached the turnpike so close to his rear that 
 he captured ten stragglers from that command. Butler s advance 
 guard was completely equipped with boots and shoes at the 
 expense of a Mercersburg merchant, who had no suspicion of the 
 character of his liberal customers until payment w r as tendered in 
 the form of a receipt required by General Stuart s orders. Stuart 
 reached Chambersburg about eight o clock on the evening of the 
 10th, in the midst of a drizzling rain. Two pieces of artillery were 
 placed in position commanding the town, and Lieutenant Thomas 
 Lee, with nine men from Butler s regiment, was sent forward to 
 demand an unconditional surrender within thirty minutes under 
 penalty of a cannonade. No resistance was made, and the troops 
 were immediately marched into the town and drawn up on the 
 public square. Colonel Butler was ordered by Stuart to enter the 
 bank and obtain whatever funds were on hand. Accompanied by 
 a suitable guard, Butler took possession of the building. The 
 cashier assured him that the funds had been sent away that morn 
 ing, and he opened the vault and drawers for inspection. Butler 
 was soon satisfied that the statement of the cashier was correct. 
 Reassured by the courteous deportment of Colonel Butler, the 
 cashier, now that the search for money was ended, summoned the 
 ladies of his family, and voluntarily brought forth food for the 
 men, who, though hungry, had made no demand on him for the 
 supply of their personal wants. Hampton was constituted mili 
 tary governor of the town and placed Butler in immediate com 
 mand. The strictest discipline was enforced, and quiet reigned 
 throughout the entire night. 
 
 As the day dawned on the morning of the llth, the head of 
 column started toward Gettysburg. Colonel Butler, who had 
 held the advance on the previous day, now brought up the rear 
 with the Second South Carolina Cavalry and a detachment of the 
 First North Carolina Cavalry. He was ordered to destroy the 
 advance storehouse, which contained a large amount of ammuni 
 tion and other army supplies. Having made all necessary arrange- 
 
 6 B. C. 
 
82 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 ments, he started his own regiment on the march, retaining with 
 him only Captain Cowles detachment of the First North Carolina 
 Cavalry. He then notified the residents in the immediate vicinity 
 of his intention to fire the building, applied the match to the 
 slow-burning fuse, and retired to the edge of 4he town to await 
 the result. A loud explosion announced that the fire had reached 
 the fixed ammunition, and in another instant the whole building 
 was wrapped in flames. Satisfied that his work was accomplished, 
 Butler hurried on to rejoin the command, which he overtook at 
 Cashtown, seven and a half miles from Gettysburg. He did not 
 leave Chambersburg until nine o clock in the morning, and from 
 this hour the duration of the return march is fairly to be com 
 puted. 
 
 White s ford was crossed by Stuart and all his command except 
 Butler and his rear guard, who were fighting Federal General 
 Pleasanton s cavalry. Pelham maintained his position in Pleas- 
 anton s front until all but the rear guard had passed when he, too, 
 was gradually withdrawn from one position to another toward 
 the ford. He was making his last stand on the river at the 
 enemy approaching from both directions. Everything was ready 
 for the final withdrawal except that the rear-guard Butler s 
 regiment and the North Carolinians had not arrived. Courier 
 after courier had been sent to hasten Butler toward the ford, but 
 no tiding of him had been received. Captain Blackford had been 
 stationed by Stuart at the ford to urge on the crossing and to 
 prevent the men from stopping to water their horses. Stuart 
 approached him, and said, with evident emotion: "Blackford, 
 we are going to lose our rear-guard." "How is that, General?" 
 asked Blackford. "Why, I have sent four couriers to Butler, and 
 he is not here yet; and see, there is the enemy closing in behind 
 us!" "Let me try it," said Blackford. Stuart paused a moment 
 and then, extending his hand, said : "All right, and if we don t 
 meet again, good-bye, old fellow," and in an instant Blackford 
 was speeding on his mission. 
 
 Colonel Butler had brought up the rear the whole distance from 
 Chambersburg, Pa. He had assigned the rear-guard to Captain 
 Cowles and the North Carolina detachment. Before his rear had 
 cleared the Poolesville road, Cowles notified Butler that the 
 enemy had overtaken him and was pressing upon him. Butler 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 83 
 
 halted at once, and made disposition of his regiment and his one 
 gun to resist or delay the further advance of the enemy. While 
 thus engaged Blackford, who had passed in succession the 
 couriers sent in search of Butler, arrived in hot haste with the 
 news from the front, and all excitement with the intensity of the 
 occasion. 
 
 "General Stuart says withdraw at a gallop, or you will be cut 
 off." 
 
 "But," replied Butler, with his own inimitable coolness, "I 
 don t think I can bring off that gun ; the horses can t move it." 
 
 "Leave the gun," said Blackford, "and save your men." 
 
 "Well, we ll see what \ve can do," replied Butler. To the 
 amazement of all, the broken down horses responded to whip and 
 spur and the gun went whirling down the road, followed by But 
 ler and his men. As he rounded theturn of the road toward 
 the ford, Pennington saluted him with his guns, and as he 
 approached the ford he was subjected to the distant and scattering 
 fire of the infantry approaching from Poolsville and the lower 
 river road. Ten minutes later, and he could hardly have cut his 
 way through, even with the loss of his gun ; but now a rapid dash 
 through the ford, and the last man was safely landed on Virginia 
 soil. 
 
 Stuart s joy at the successful termination of his expedition was 
 unbounded, the enemy made no attempt at further pursuit, but 
 approached the ford sufficiently near to receive a few shots from 
 Pelham s guns and to hear the exulting cheers with which his 
 men greeted Stuart as he rode along their lines. 
 
 His march from Chambersburg was one of the most remarkable 
 on record. Within twenty-seven hours he had traversed eighty 
 miles, although encumbered by his artillery and captured horses, 
 and had forced a passage of the Potomac under the very eyes of 
 forces which largely outnumbered his own. His only casualty 
 was the wounding of one man. Two men, who, for some reason, 
 dropped out of the line of march, were captured. 
 
 After a short breathing spell, the troops moved on to Leesburg, 
 ten miles distant, where they bivouacked for the night and 
 enjoyed well-earned repose, thence by easy marches they returned 
 to their camps west of the mountains.* 
 
 *The above is taken from the "Campaigns of Stuart s Cavalry," by Major 
 H. B. McClellan, A. A. G. 
 
84 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Was it fate or was it peculiar fitness of the man that Butler 
 always led our advance and covered every retreat? 
 
 Both Yankee generals, McClellan and Pleasanton, state the 
 length of Stuart s march at ninety miles, and ten miles back from 
 the Potomac to Leesburg, Va., made one hundred miles in twenty- 
 seven hours that Stuart and his Southern cavaliers rode. A won 
 derful feat considering all the obstacles. 
 
 But for the splendid courage of Bob Shiver and his six scouts 
 in cutting off the pickets and making the ford clear, the whole 
 expedition might have failed. In the language of General Butler, 
 his scouts were the eyes and ears of his command. 
 
 When Butler was crossing the Potomac, riding behind the rear 
 guard, General Stuart met him in the middle of the river with 
 hat in hand and said : "Well done, my brave boy." 
 
 The rear-guard under Butler destroyed at least a quarter of a 
 million dollars worth of war material at Chambersburg, and on 
 this raid one thousand and two horses were captured and brought 
 safely across the Potomac. 
 
 General Pleasanton told General Butler after the war that in 
 trying to overtake our cavalry that every horse in his command 
 was rendered unfit for service, and all his cavalry had to be 
 remounted, which w r as promptly done by the United States 
 government. But not so with Confederate cavalry, as every 
 cavalryman had to furnish his own horse and equipments, and 
 when a horse was killed or lost from any other cause, the rider 
 had either to go to the infantry or get a remount at once. That 
 was one reason why the Yankees lost so many horses at their 
 picket posts. We had to have horses, and the United States gov 
 ernment unwillingly furnished us with at least one-third of our 
 horses, saddles, bridles and carbines and Colts army pistols and, 
 last, but not least, blankets and haversacks. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 85 
 
 DUMFRIES RAID No. 1 
 
 A short time before the Christmas holidays in 1862 the scouts 
 had brought information that quite a cavalcade of sutler wagons 
 under military escort had left Washington or Alexandria for 
 Burnside s Army in front of Fredericksburg, moving down the 
 Telegraph Road. The wagons were loaded with "Christmas 
 things" for the army at Fredericksburg, and General Hampton 
 decided that the sutlers, quartermasters and commissaries from 
 Washington ought to make a fair and liberal division with the 
 "d d rebels," as we were affectionately called in those days; 
 accordingly he crossed the Rappahannock late in the evening, 
 bivouacked for the night, and about midnight set out for Dum 
 fries on the Telegraph Road. The weather was intensely cold and 
 the night as dark as Erebus. Reaching the neighborhood of 
 Dumfries before daylight, Hampton detached Butler with his 
 own regiment, the Second South Carolina, and the First South 
 Carolina, to move into the Telegraph Road at or below Dumfries, 
 and attack any force in the town, while he made a detour to the 
 left to strike the road above Dumfries towards Occoquan. As 
 that would be the only avenue of escape for the enemy, if defeated 
 by Butler, he expected to cut them off and bag the game between 
 the two fires. 
 
 When Butler charged into the old town about the dawn of day, 
 he found everything and everybody asleep. The wagons were 
 packed in vacant lots with their teams,, the teamsters and escort 
 of about twenty-five troopers sound asleep under a large shed, 
 near the principal street. The first salutation they received was 
 a volley from Butler s force, which had charged up and sur 
 rounded wagons, teamsters, escort and all. To be thus rudely 
 awakened was no doubt regarded as a very unceremonious per 
 formance. The stationing of videttes, some distance in all direc 
 tions from the town to keep a look out, while the prisoners and 
 wagons were cared for, was the work of a very short space of 
 time. Butler immediately dispatched a courier to Hampton, 
 informing him of the result of his onslaught, and General Hamp 
 ton very soon joined him from three or four miles up the road 
 
86 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 with the other regiments and battalions of his brigade. Butler 
 had picketed along the Telegraph Eoad and Potomac River in the 
 fall of 1861 and winter of 1862, while in command of the four 
 companies of the Hampton Legion Cavalry,and was, therefore, 
 very familiar with the highways and byways of the country. 
 
 The wagons were loaded down with almost every variety of 
 goods, eatables, drinkables, confectionaries, buckskin gauntlets, 
 boots, shoes, hats, choicest underwear, etc. As soon as General 
 Hampton joined Butler from up the road, a division of spoils 
 began, and whatever could not be carried off was destroyed. 
 
 Of course, the animals, wagons, prisoners and as much of the 
 plunder as would not impede the return march were brought 
 safely out. It is never safe to linger long so close to the enemy 
 after an escapade like that, and as little time as possible was 
 taken in getting back to the crossing of the Rappahannock. The 
 ne"xt day there was a division of the spoils, and the "Rebel 
 Cavalry" had never been so well supplied with gloves, boots, 
 shoes, nicknacks of all kinds. 
 
 Where Burnside s cavalry was while this mischief in his imme 
 diate rear was going on nobody has ever found out. 
 
 General Butler has given the writer some amusing incidents of 
 the first Dumfries raid. 
 
 In the division of the booty, he got as his share a splendid four- 
 horse team and covered wagon, which he appropriated to his 
 headquarters use. I have frequently slept in this wagon. On 
 the return march the owner, a prisoner, asked permission to see 
 Colonel Butler, a request which was readily granted. The man 
 said he was from Massachusetts, had every cent he owned 
 $5,000.00 invested in that wagon, team and goods, and wanted 
 to know if Colonel Butler would not allow him to get at least a 
 part of the goods; that he expected to make a small fortune in 
 profits from Burnside s soldiers. He was very sympathetically 
 informed that inasmuch as he would be a prisoner in Richmond 
 in a very short time, it was not very clear how the "goods" could 
 be of any benefit to him. The poor fellow subsided, a wiser if not 
 a richer man. Such is the inexorable fate of many who risk their 
 lives and fortune in war. 
 
 Another incident quite characteristic of "bent on treason, 
 stratagem and spoils." After Colonel Butler had started his regi- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 87 
 
 ment from Dumfries, remaining with the rear until the column 
 had straightened out homeward bound, he moved toward the 
 front, and about half way up the column he found one of his men 
 moving along at a pretty lively gait with a large keg of butter. 
 On inquiring what it meant, the man replied : "This is some of 
 the plunder we took from the Yankees at Dumfries, and I am 
 carrying it back to camp to divide among the boys." As the 
 poor horse had burden enough without the keg of butter, the 
 rider was ordered to dump it on the ground, much to the owner s 
 disgust. 
 
 One of the surprising things in the military operations of that 
 time was how General Burnside, after his crushing defeat at 
 Fredericksburg, kept his army together. The demoralization was 
 such that entire companies deserted and came over to our pickets 
 with a white flag and asked to be paroled. Of course, it was the 
 policy of the Confederate authorities to encourage the melting 
 away of Burnside s army, and all but officers of post and soldiers 
 were provided with forms of parole and instanter to parole every 
 man who applied. 
 
 Dumfries Raid No. 2 
 
 On the afternoon of the 26th of December, 1862, Stuart organ 
 ized an expedition known among his men as the "Dumfries Raid," 
 and with 1,800 cavalry commanded .by Generals Hampton, Fritz 
 Lee and W. H. F. Lee, crossed the Rappahannock at Kelly s Ford 
 and encamped for the night at Morrisville. Early on the follow 
 ing morning the command moved toward the Potomac. While 
 the two Lees were occupied on the Brentsville road in the vicinity 
 of Cole s store, Hampton had pursued his longer march to Occo- 
 quan, which he reached about sunset. Colonel M. C. Butler 
 charged into the town and drove from it a detachment of the 
 Seventeenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, capturing eight wagons and 
 nineteen prisoners. Hampton now withdrew and joined the other 
 brigades at Cole s store. During the night the captured wagons 
 and prisoners, together with two cannons w r hose ammunition was 
 exhausted, were sent back to the Rappahannock under the escort 
 of a squadron of the Ninth Virginia Cavalry. 
 
 Early on the morning of the 28th, Stuart moved forward to 
 the Occoquan. At Greenwood Church Colonel M. C. Butler, with 
 
88 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 150 men of the Second South Carolina Cavalry, was detached 
 with orders to go to Bacon Kace Church and endeavor to capture 
 a body of the enemy reported to be at that point. Butler 
 encountered cavalry pickets about a mile frflm the church and 
 drove them back upon their support, which he found to consist 
 of a considerable force of cavalry and two pieces of artillery. He 
 had been instructed that the rest of the command would advance 
 in the same direction, on a parallel road, and join him in the 
 vicinity of Bacon Race Church. He therefore maintained his 
 position in front of the force he had engaged, although exposed 
 to a severe fire of the enemy s artillery. But events had carried 
 the larger part of the Southern cavalry in another direction, and 
 Butler in vain awaited the attack which he momentarily expected 
 to be made by his friends, in which he was prepared to join. Not 
 deeming it prudent to longer remain in this isolated position, he 
 attempted to withdraw toward Brentsville by the same road on 
 which he had advanced. He had moved but a short distance when 
 he found the road occupied by a large force of the enemy; thus 
 enclosed in front and rear, his position was critical, but by making 
 a detour of three or four miles he eluded his enemies and safely 
 rejoined his brigade at Selectman s Ford. Both Stuart and 
 Hampton bestow praise on Butler for the manner in which he 
 extricated his command. When Stuart got back to Culpepper 
 Court House on the 31st December, 1862, his loss on the expedi 
 tion was one killed and thirteen wounded and fourteen missing. 
 The captured sutler s wagon proved capable of inflicting nearly 
 as much damage as the rifles of the enemy. The federal loss 
 exceeded 200 men. 
 
 About twenty wagons and sutlers teams were captured.* 
 On this raid Marion Shivar, one of Bill Mikler s "Iron Scouts," 
 while in front of a Yankee battery, stopped and attempted to take 
 a dismounted brother scout up behind him on his old horse 
 "Rebel"; when his saddle turned he deliberately got down and 
 fixed his saddle, took his friend up and quietly rode off under 
 artillery fire a brave deed to save his friend. The winter of 
 1862 was a very severe one on our cavalry particularly so in the 
 Dumfries raid. 
 
 *The above is taken from "The Campaigns of Stuart s Cavalry," by H. B. 
 McClellan. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 89 
 
 General Butler gives an account of his experience on this same 
 raid. He says : 
 
 "We crossed the Orange and Alexandria Railroad at Fairfax 
 Station during the night and passed between Fairfax Court 
 House and Washington, and about nine o clock reached Frying 
 Pan, where we halted for breakfast and rest of an hour or two. 
 I had some very interesting talks with Governor Proctor, senator 
 from Vermont, with whom I served in the senate (he is still a 
 senator). He was colonel, or lieutenant-colonel, of a Vermont 
 cavalry regiment. Our column passed between his regiment and 
 Washington, very near w r here he was located for the night. He 
 informed me he expected to be taken in by Stuart; did not 
 attack us, as he was quite willing to be let alone. The night was 
 terrifically cold, and nearly every man in my regiment traveled 
 on foot a good part of the night, leading their horses, to keep 
 from freezing. We were thoroughly exhausted, having been in 
 the saddle two days and nights, and I saw men, during a tem 
 porary halt on the march, throw themselves forward on their 
 horses necks and sleep apparently soundly. 
 
 "Just before daylight I dismounted, tramping along in the 
 rear of my regiment. The First North Carolina was in front; I 
 would almost lose consciousness and walk into the First North 
 Carolina until aroused as to the situation. Walking under such 
 circumstances was a sort of mechanical operation and, as 
 improbable as it may seem, we went through this experience after 
 midnight. Lieutenant-Colonel Frank Hampton was at the head 
 of the regiment, and as day was dawning he sent a courier down 
 the column after me post haste. I mounted and rode rapidly for 
 ward to ascertain what the matter was. As both the Lees hap 
 pened to be ahead of us, I could not imagine the enemy had 
 ventured out in front. As I rode up Colonel Hampton, who, you 
 may remember, was a very large man, pointed out parties 
 foraging from house to house. They were Fitz Lee s men. 
 Colonel Hampton, who was a most gallant soldier and courtly 
 gentleman, to whom I was most warmly attached, had just rallied 
 from a horseback slumber and imagined he saw army wagons 
 and ambulances going over the hills ahead, and remarked to me: 
 Butler, the Lees must have captured more wagons and ambu 
 lances than our brigade. Upon my assuring him there were none 
 
90 BUTLEK AXD HlS CAVALRY. 1861-1865. 
 
 in sight, and that the men visible in the dim light were Fitz 
 Lee s, he recovered himself and enjoyed the joke as much as any 
 of us. The fact is a number of men were in a sort of delirium 
 from the loss of sleep, myself among the number (we had nothing 
 stronger than ice water and sleet to drink). But we were young 
 in those days, and the short sleep we enjoyed after sunrise 
 restored our vigorous manhood. I could tell you a good one on 
 myself, but I have written more than I intended. Colonel Hamp 
 ton got it back on me with a good laugh. 
 
 ~If Tom Purdee is alive he could tell about it." 
 
 General John B. Gordon says that a Yankee officer told him 
 after the war that one night in Virginia he went to relieve a 
 vidette for a certain purpose, who had actually frozen to death at 
 his post leaning against a trefc. 
 
 It is hard to realize how the private soldiers suffered on both 
 sides during thi> bloody and terrible war. 
 
 -There never was a good war or a bad peace/ 
 
 General B. E. Lee evidenced his appreciation of the privates 
 when he said to one of them who was standing near his tent. 
 -Come in. captain, and take a seat." "I m no captain. General; 
 I m nothing but a private.* 7 said the modest soldier. "Come in. 
 sir." said Lee. "Come in and take a seat : you ought to be a cap 
 tain. * 
 
 Although playfully uttered, these simple words reflected the 
 real sentiment of the great chieftain. 
 
 General Gordon says: ~Xo language would be too strong, or 
 eulogy too high, to pronounce upon the privates who did their 
 duty during that long and dreadful war. who manfully braved 
 its dangers, patiently endured its trials, cheerfully obeyed the 
 orders, who were ready to march and to suffer, to fight and to 
 die. without once railing in question the wisdom of the orders 
 or the necessity for the sacrifice." 
 
 One dark night in the early part of 1863. Lsaac Curtis. General 
 Lee ? s famous scout, and Bolick. one of General Butler s scouts. 
 dressed themselves up. each in a Yankee officers uniform and 
 rode by the Federal pickets right into the camp of the Eighth 
 Illinois Cavalry Regiment, within 150 yards of General Mead s 
 headquarters and awoke five men from their slumber in this 
 gallant old regiment, ordered them to be very quiet while saddling 
 
BUTLEB AXD HlS CAVALRY. 1861-1865. 91 
 
 their horses as they were needed for a special purpose. The order 
 was promptly obeyed and after they had passed the Yankee 
 pickets, going out back to our lines with their Yanks, one of them 
 said to Curtis: "Ain t we prisoners?" and just as he said it. put 
 spurs to his horse and away he went into the darkness. The 
 others were told if they ran they would surely be killed. So the 
 two scouts brought four men in blue, four nice horses with the 
 usual brand U. S. on the left shoulder of each, four army sad 
 dles, bridles, blankets, carbines, army pistols, and four oil cloths. 
 Xot a shot was fired. This was simply a display of nerve and will 
 power. 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel John D. Twiggs. of the First South Caro 
 lina Cavalry, rode one of these fine horses until he (Colonel 
 Twiggs) was killed. 
 
 Here is what a gallant colonel of Butler s Cavalry has to say 
 about a private soldier who belonged to his regiment : 
 
 Charleston, S. C., 27th August, 1907. 
 Colonel U. R. Brooks, Columbia, S. C. 
 
 My Dear Brooks : I have been reading with a great deal of interest the 
 sketches from your book, as published in The Sunday yew*. All you said 
 about Oscar Reid s bravery is true, and I have always thought that I sent 
 him to his death. A few days before he was killed he was riding along 
 behind General Butler, when they saw two Yankees crossing a field some 
 distance away. Reid immediately leaped the fence and chased after them 
 across the open field and captured them and brought them to Butler, who 
 complimented him for the handsome manner in which he had done it. This 
 incited Reid s ambition to win promotion. On the ISth March, the day 
 before the battle of Bentonville, I had been sent down a certain road by 
 General Butler with my regiment, and just despatched an officer with 
 twenty men to pursue a group of horsemen down one road < this group I 
 subsequently learned from prisoners, consisted of General O. O. Howard 
 and his staff, who only escaped capture by running into the protection of a 
 large Union force). While awaiting the return of this detachment, I was 
 sitting on a log by the side of the road, and Reid was sitting beside me, 
 while we held our horses by the bridles. We were speaking of Butler s 
 compliment to Reid, when he said: **Colonel. I am going to win a com 
 mission; I am going to distinguish or extinguish myself." Just then a 
 vidette came running in with the report that a squad of Yankees was 
 advancing towards us by another road. I immediately ordered Lieutenant 
 John D. Browne (our legislative sergeant-at-arms for so many years) to 
 charge them with his company, and said to Reid. "Now is your chance, 
 Reid: go with Browne." He mounted his horse with alacrity and dashed 
 ahead, leading the charge, when a volley from the enemy, as they wheeled 
 
ZIMMERMAN DAVIS 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 93 
 
 in full retreat, "extinguished" the life of the brave fellow. He was far in 
 advance of the rest when he fell. Little did he dream a few moments 
 before how strangely and suddenly he would be both "distinguished and 
 extinguished." 
 
 If this reminiscence is of any use to you, here it is. I thought I would 
 add interest to your story. 
 
 Yours cordially, 
 
 ZIMMERMAN DAVIS. 
 
 Colonel Zimmerman Davis was the last commander of the 
 gallant old Fifth Cavalry Regiment. The chivalrous John Dun- 
 ovant was its first colonel, who was killed in the battle of 
 McDowell s farm, 1st October, 1864, as brigadier-general com 
 manding "Butler s Old Brigade." The second commander was 
 Colonel Jeffords, who was killed 27th October, the same day and 
 month and year, at the battle of Burgesse s Mill. 
 
 Another brave boy in the war was the late Senator Edward 
 Dennis, of Berkeley County. He belonged to Company F, Sixth 
 South Carolina Cavalry, Colonel Hugh K. Aiken s Regiment of 
 the "Old Brigade," who was killed 24th February, 1865, in Dar 
 lington County. Edward Dennis, when just out of his teens, 
 while in Virginia the latter part of 1864, took fever, and as soon 
 as he could travel was sent on sick furlough to his home at or 
 near Pinopolis, then in old Charleston District, now Berkeley 
 County. About the time that the city of Charleston was evac 
 uated in 1865, Dennis had recovered, and not knowing where his 
 command was, he gathered together a squad of six men and 
 operated on the Santee and Cooper rivers, in Old Charleston 
 District. He was a terror to the Yankee raiding parties who 
 gave the people of the section no end of trouble. Go to the old 
 people now living in Berkeley County, and they will tell you of 
 the blood-curdling things committed by "Potter s Raiders," and 
 others in blue uniform just as bad. 
 
94 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 But for Captain Dennis and his men, we do not know what 
 would have become of the good people in that locality when their 
 homes were invaded. The good people divided them into three 
 classes of brutes the white brutes, the black brutes and the 
 mulatto brutes. Whenever these outlaws wouloVgo on one of their 
 murderous raids, all that the good people had to say was, "Cap 
 tain Dennis is coming," and they would scamper away like the 
 devil was after them. 
 
 I venture to say that General Marion, during the Revolution, 
 did no better work than Edward Dennis accomplished in the 
 same length of time in this territory. 
 
 On one of these raids a big mulatto from Boston, Mass.. at the 
 head of fifty men, rode up to a beautiful mansion in St. John s, 
 Berkeley, and notified the young ladies that they would have a 
 "ball" at their home that night, and that they would have to 
 dance with him. Word was soon sent to Captain Dennis, in the 
 swamp, and about sunset Dennis with his little Spartan band 
 met the Boston buck with his fifty men very near the house on 
 his way to the "ball" coming down a long lane. Dennis told his 
 men that he knew the horse the negro was riding, and as soon as 
 the report of a gun was heard the horse would throw him certain 
 if he (Dennis) missed him, and then with the "Rebel yell" he 
 led the charge, killing the gentleman from Boston the first shot; 
 and then the balance of the ballmen broke and ran, and for about 
 three or four miles Dennis and his squad had fine sport shooting 
 these demons, who would not surrender, but kept on running 
 that is, all who did not die in the lane. After the war one of these 
 young ladies married a distinguished lawyer in the city of 
 Charleston. 
 
 I traveled all over this territory in 1883, 84 and 85, and the 
 marvelous things that these good people told me sounded like 
 fiction which Captain Dennis with his squad accomplished. 
 
 Such people as the Porchers, Palmers and others of like char- 
 aster were loud in their praises of Edward Dennis. The Yankee 
 raiders on one occasion went to Pineville, which is located about 
 seven miles from St. Stephen s Depot, on the Atlantic Coast Line 
 railroad, and took old Mr. Mazyck Porcher out of his house and 
 made him walk twenty miles barefooted. In 1883 I spent the 
 night with this same old gentleman, Mr. Porcher, at his home in 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 95 
 
 Pineville, S. C., who told me of his bad treatment, and he said 
 with much feeling: "Sir, I have not spoken to a Yankee since 
 this horrible outrage was committed, and never will so long as 
 I live." 
 
 My old comrade and friend Dennis told me that Mr. Porcher 
 lived to be almost ninety years old and kept his word. 
 
 Dennis made these villains suffer for their treatment of Mr. 
 Porcher. * 
 
 The day is not far distant when the good people of Berkeley 
 will erect a monument to the memory of this gallant Confederate 
 soldier, Edward J. Dennis, who died 22d day of May, 1904, just 
 as the good people of the Peninsular in Virginia did to the 
 memory of James Tradewell, a Columbia, S. C., boy, one of Gen 
 eral Gary s scouts who rendered the same kind of service that 
 Edward Dennis did in old Charleston district. 
 
 In 1878 General E. W. Moise was adjutant and inspector- 
 general for South Carolina, who had in his office at that time a 
 man named Paul Ludwig, who knocked Jim Tradewell down in 
 the office because he came in drunk. Just then Wade Manning 
 appeared and knocked Ludwig down, and as soon as he got up 
 Wade floored him again, and then Ludwig seemed to be satisfied. 
 Wade then told him that if he hit Tradewell again that he 
 (Ludwig) would regret it. 
 
 How different Mr. Goldsmith was wiien he had a fight with 
 Captain Dick O Neale just after the war on Main street in Colum 
 bia, S. C. Dick O Neale knocked him down two or three times, 
 and then Mr. Goldsmith lay there, when some one said, "Why 
 don t you get up," and he replied, rather abruptly, "What is the 
 use? Why, every time I rise the d d fool knocks me down 
 again." 
 
 Poor Jim Tradewell has been dead about twenty years, and 
 while on his deathbed sent for Captain John Taylor, his old com 
 rade. John Taylor told me he never in all his life heard such a 
 sermon from the lips of any one "On the goodness of God." 
 
 "The world is a bud from the bower of God s beauty; the sun 
 is a spark from the light of his wisdom; the sky is a bubble on 
 the sea of his power." 
 
96 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 THE STORY OF A SCOUT TOLD IN HIS OWN WAY 
 
 (HUGH HENDERSON SCOTT, Edgefield, S. C.) 
 
 I first entered the Confederate service in January, 1861, and 
 was between sixteen and seventeen years of age. I enlisted in 
 Gregg s First Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers. I was on 
 Morris Island, and Sullivan s Island a while. We were State 
 troops then, and after the capture of Fort Sumter the call was 
 made by South Carolina for volunteers to go to Virginia, and 
 about half of the regiment went. I was one of them. I went 
 there to serve, but was furloughed on the 14th day of July, just 
 before the first battle of Manassas. I came home, got a horse and 
 went back to Manassas and joined M. C. Butler s company at 
 Bacon Race Church. He was then Captain Butler, and his com 
 pany the "Edgefield Hussars," Hampton Legion. I served as 
 private in that command until 1862, when I was detailed as a 
 scout in "Hogan s Squad of Scouts" for General Wade Hampton. 
 
 The "Scouts" were in the rear of the Federal army. We had 
 been sent to watch the Orange and Alexandria Railroad to see if 
 troops were sent in or brought out. Whenever we sent a man up 
 there, he would not come back. Those people had taken the oath 
 of allegiance to the United States. 
 
 We started out on Saturday evening three mounted men, 
 Bolick, Freeman, and myself, and about five or six on foot, and 
 reached there that evening about an hour by sun, and that night 
 we went into ambuscade until the next morning. We were about 
 three-quarters of a mile from Brentsville, Va. 
 
 The next morning Shadbourne (George D. Shadbourne, who 
 was chief of scouts), said, "You three mounted men go up and 
 enter the town." We went into the town, and the people said, 
 "What are you doing here ; don t you see the Yankees over there?" 
 We replied, "We came here to get breakfast." We rode down, got 
 breakfast, and a lady held our horses and we sat down to the 
 table and ate. We could see the Yankees three or four hundred 
 yards away from us, saddling their horses. This was on the 14th 
 
HUGH H. SCOTT 
 
 7 B. C. 
 
98 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 of February, a Sunday. They got down and hitched their horses. 
 As we were going down the hill, I said, "They are playing a trick 
 on us ; they are going around here to cut us off from the ford. So 
 we went back to the blind or ambuscade we had on a hill. 
 
 At three o clock that evening, Shadbourne said, "You three 
 mounted men ride back into town." The Yankees were there, and 
 they saddled their horses and came for us. Bolick told me he 
 was going to have a fight out of those Yankees if he had to charge 
 the camp. We fell back through the pines to get back to the 
 foot of the hill. They were dressed up in gaudy style, gauntlets, 
 gloves and plumes. Bolick said to the officer: "Who is in com 
 mand of this squad?" He answered, "I am." Bolick asked, 
 "Who are you?" The answer, "I am Major Lamar, of General 
 Crawford s staff." Bolick in reply, "Major, there are only three 
 of us here, but it is a good place to fight, and we will fight it out 
 in detail; but we have only double-barrel shotguns and pistols, 
 but we will borrow your sabres and fight it out." The major said, 
 "I don t propose to fight that way." Bolick asked him how he 
 proposed to fight. He said, "We will all fight." Bolick pulled 
 his carbine and fired one shot at him. Then we left, and as we 
 went by the ambush they were pretty close on us, and I told 
 Bolick to take to the woods. We ran around a hill and came out 
 about the foot of the hill, and three Yankees had passed the blind. 
 One of the Yankees shoved his pistol right against Bolick and 
 shot him, and I shoved my pistol right against the Yankee and 
 shot him through the shoulder. They killed Bolick there and 
 then. Bolick fell from his horse. I ran those three fellows up the 
 road for three-quarters of a mile, but could not do anything with 
 them. I turned and came back and passed Bolick. He looked at 
 me and said, "Scott, I am killed." I told him I would come back, 
 and I went up the hill to the ambush to see what damage we had 
 done. There were twenty-one Yankees, and we had killed seven 
 teen out of the twenty-one. One of the Yankees never passed the 
 ambush and three passed it. The major had his hat turned up in 
 front, and we shot him in the forehead, three buckshot striking 
 him there. We got only one horse out of the lot. This occurred 
 on Sunday, the 14th of February, St. Valentine s day, 1863. 
 
 We took Bolick and carried him down in the pines about a 
 hundred yards, thinking he was dead. We had a bull dog with us, 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 99 
 
 and we hurried away from there. Two days afterwards we went 
 back with a two-horse wagon and coffin to get Bolick, and when 
 we got there the bull dog was lying down by the side of Bolick, 
 and we had to make ourselves known before we could go near 
 him. Bolick had his hands clasped around a little sapling, 
 which showed he was not dead when we left him there. We 
 buried him at Arlington s Cross Roads. 
 
 Bolick was anxious to marry a young lady at Arlington s 
 Cross Roads, and he had told her the morning before he was 
 killed : "I am going to be killed the first fight I get into." She 
 had jilted him. We carried his body to the cross roads, and 
 buried him right at the young lady s house. 
 
 General Butler: "Tell Mr. Gettys about the time I put you 
 under arrest for killing a squirrel in 1863." 
 
 He (General Butler) was trying all the time to get me in the 
 guardhouse, but I was always too sharp for him. I rode up to 
 his headquarters one day, near Martinsburg, Va. I was sent out 
 by Hogan, who was chief of General Butler s scouts. He sent me 
 to carry a dispatch to General Butler. I rode up to headquarters 
 and handed him the dispatch, and asked him where the regiment 
 was. He said, "Right over there on the hill." Before I got to 
 where the regiment was, I heard a good deal of shooting going 
 on. I rode up and asked the boys what they were shooting at, 
 and they said they were shooting at a squirrel. I said, "Let me 
 take a shot." I jumped off my horse and fired one of my pistols 
 way up in the top of a tree, and I killed the squirrel the first shot. 
 About the time I shot the*squirrel, General Butler sent a guard 
 over there and had six or seven arrested. I was in the crowd. They 
 marched us to General Butler s headquarters. He said: "Were 
 you shooting, too?" I answered, "Yes, sir." He said, "What 
 were you shooting at, sir ? You are always getting into trouble." 
 I answered, "I am not in any trouble, I was shooting at a 
 squirrel." He said, "If you didn t kill that squirrel, I will put 
 you in the guardhouse." To this I replied, "Put the balance in 
 the guardhouse, Colonel; I killed the squirrel." The others 
 claimed I didn t kill the squirrel. All went to the guardhouse, 
 but later he turned them loose. The Colonel said, "It looks to me 
 as if I couldn t catch you to save my life." 
 
100 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 The Yankees were in camp on the opposite side of the Rappa- 
 hannock River, and had pickets along the river bank about fifty 
 yards apart. One night in October, 1863, Hogan, Hanley, Wal 
 lace Miller and myself waded the river ayd slipped by the 
 videttes. Before we waded the river Hanley pulled off his clothes 
 and put them in his haversack to keep them from getting wet, 
 but while wading the river he fell down and got his haversack 
 full of water, and I could not help laughing at him. After we 
 crossed the river we crawled, I suppose, for two hundred yards, 
 one behind the other, each man with his hands touching the man 
 in front so as to keep from getting separated. We ran up on a 
 reserve, but there were too many men for us to handle, and we 
 went on. We met a citizen, and he told us, "If you will go yonder, 
 you can capture a captain and three of his men." We found 
 three tents there a negro was in one tent, and four Yankees in 
 the other two tents. We captured the captain and his three men. 
 The negro ran, but one of the boys shot him. We left him there 
 and he died the next day. To get the prisoners out, Hogan 
 decided he would go to Richard s Ferry. He said, "Scott, you 
 take charge of these prisoners and we will go down and capture 
 the vidette at the ford." He left me there with the four prisoners, 
 and I was afraid they would not be able to find me in the dark, 
 and I w^ould be left there with the prisoners. They failed to 
 capture the vidette at the ferry, and they then went and hunted 
 up a citizen who showed us a blind ford just above Richard s 
 Ferry, and we crossed over with the prisoners and seven horses 
 that we had. The prisoners were Captain Mason, his orderly 
 sergeant, and two of his men. We crossed over and were then 
 between the Rappahannock and Rapidan rivers, in Culpepper 
 County, and still in the enemy s country. We next crossed the 
 Rapidan and got breakfast at a farm house. Hanley and myself 
 were detailed to take the prisoners to General Hampton s head 
 quarters. I put Hanley in the rear; I went in front. I suppose 
 it was about thirty miles to General Hampton s headquarters, 
 right up the Rapidan River. We stopped at a farm house and all 
 sat down together and had dinner; after dinner we started on, 
 Hanley bringing up the rear. After we had traveled about an 
 hour, I looked back and Hanley was gone. I asked one of the 
 prisoners where he was, and he said, "That man stopped back 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 101 
 
 there an hour ago." I never have seen Hanley since. He deserted 
 and went down and crossed the Kapidan River at Germana Ford 
 and went over to the Yankees. I went on with the prisoners, and 
 when I got to where General Hampton had camped, he had moved 
 on about fifteen miles further, and Fitz Hugh Lee s division was 
 camped there. I told Captain Mason I would have to turn him 
 over to Fitzhugh Lee s troops to guard. He asked me not to do it, 
 but to guard them myself. I said, "Captain, I cannot guard you 
 tonight. I never slept a wink last night." It was pouring .down 
 rain and we saw a little house nearby unoccupied. The captain 
 said to me, "Let us go in this house and stay all night, and I 
 guarantee every one of us will be here in the morning." I told 
 them to get down, unsaddle their horses, tie them and come in. 
 They had plenty to eat in their haversacks. We went in the 
 house and kindled up a fire and dried. I was the only one there 
 with the four prisoners. I told them to lie down and go to sleep, 
 that I was going to sleep myself, and if they stayed there it would 
 be all right. Captain Mason said to me: "You think there is not 
 a man in the Yankee army that is a gentleman, but I am a 
 gentleman." We went to sleep and the next morning they were 
 all there. I carried them to General Hampton s headquarters, 
 took them to my company and gave them breakfast. Some of the 
 soldiers attempted to rob Captain Mason, and I took his gold 
 watch and secreted it about his person so that it would not be 
 found. Captain Mason said to me: "This business you are in 
 will cause you to be either killed or captured." He gave me the 
 address of his wife, and said, "If you are ever captured, write 
 to her and you will not suffer for anything." He said : "If I am 
 ever exchanged and you are captured, hunt me up, and I will let 
 you walk through the camp and turn you loose.* I have been 
 treated far better than I ever expected to be treated by a Johnny 
 Reb. He shed tears when I bade him good-bye, and I told him 
 I hoped he would get back to his family. 
 
 In the early part of 1863 Bob Shiver was a lieutenant in the 
 regiment, but would often go out on scouts with us. Bob Shiver, 
 Woody, Barnwell, Gillespie, Thornwell, and myself, crossed the 
 Rapidan River and went over near United States Ford. We 
 
102 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 nailed two logs together and crossed on them. We went over 
 there and captured four Yankees and their horses. I said to Bob 
 Shiver, "How are you going to get these horses out? He said, 
 "I am going to charge the picket and get them out." We got on 
 the horses and carried the Yankees as far as we could, then turned 
 them loose. We came across a foraging party that had a lot of 
 green food tied up on their horses; there were about twenty-five 
 or thirty of them, but we charged right through them. This was 
 the picket, and we charged through them and got to the ford. 
 We shot the vidette at the ford and came across to where the 
 army was camped around Fredericksburg. 
 
 During the winter of 1863 - 64 we were camped at Hamilton s 
 Crossing, near Fredericksburg. We were in the rear of the 
 Yankee army. We crossed the Rappahannock River on logs one 
 night, and went over into Culpepper County, between the Rappa 
 hannock and Rapidan rivers. We were going to Stevensburg, 
 but when we got to the road leading from Fredericksburg to 
 Stevensburg we found it full of Yankee cavalry, headed towards 
 Fredericksburg, and they were just halting. We went down in 
 the woods and talked the matter over. The Yankees had stopped 
 there until they could capture our pickets on the opposite side of 
 the river. This was Dahlgreen s raid, en route to capture Rich 
 mond. We walked alongside of the Yankees, back to the rear 
 of the column. When we got to the rear we led out two horses 
 and took the men prisoners. Dan Tanner and I got on the two 
 horses and fell in line with the Yankees and crossed the river 
 with them. After crossing the river, they took the road to Spott- 
 sylvania Cou$ House, and we rode to Fredericksburg and 
 reported to General Hampton that Dahlgreen had crossed the 
 river, captured our pickets and was going towards Spottsylvania 
 Court House. General Hampton could only muster about three 
 hundred men from the whole brigade, but we followed them with 
 the three hundred men of the First North Carolina Cavalry. 
 Late in the afternoon we made some inquiries about how far they 
 were ahead of us, and some citizens told us they had camped 
 about two miles further down. General Hampton stopped and 
 told Dan Tanner and myself, "I want their vidette captured, and 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 103 
 
 I don t want a shot fired." Dan Tanner and myself went around 
 through the woods and got between the vidette and the reserve, 
 and when it came about time to relieve the vidette, we went up 
 and relieved him ourselves, and captured him without firing a 
 shot. We then carried him on up to General Hampton. General 
 Hampton then rode down, dismounted his men and charged into 
 the camp. We whipped Dahlgreen out of his camp and captured 
 more men than we had ourselves. Dahlgreen pushed on the next 
 day, and we followed him and came up to him late in the evening 
 and had another fight, in which Dahlgreen was killed (1st March) 
 and-Kilpatrick driven off behind the Yankee infantry. General 
 Stuart was mortally wounded on May 10th, 1864, at Yellow 
 Tavern on Sheridan s first raid, and died May 12th, at Rich 
 mond, Va. 
 
 In 1864 we were down below Petersburg, and Hogan had a 
 certain part of the lines to watch, and one night I went over there 
 to see if the Yankees were patrolling the road. When we got there 
 we found there was no patrol on the road, so we went down into 
 their camp. We took seven horses out of the Yankee camp and 
 rode them off. The next day Hogan told Jim Niblet and myself 
 to go over on the road and see if it was patrolled again. Niblet 
 said to Dick Hogan, "Why is it you always put Scott and me on 
 the hardest work; here are some other men that have not done 
 anything?" Hogan said, "You will do what I tell you, or you can 
 report to General Butler s headquarters." I said to Jim Niblet, 
 "Let s go, that s the way he has of praising us." Niblet said, 
 "Well, Scott, let s bid them all good-bye." So we shook hands 
 with all of them and told them good-bye. 
 
 We had three swamps to cross before we got to this road. After 
 we had crossed the first swamp I told Jim Niblet we had better 
 get down and hitch our horses in the woods and wade the swamp, 
 if we followed the road we would be captured. It was our inten 
 tion to dismount and wade the swamp, but just as we got to the 
 second swamp, I was riding on the right of Jim Niblet, and he 
 had his gun on his shoulder. I had mine across my thigh. We 
 were not fifteen steps from the swamp when Jim Niblet s gun 
 went off on his shoulder. I said, "Jim, what s the matter with 
 your gun?" He took the gun off his shoulder and looked at it, 
 
101 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 and a Yankee had fired at him and hit the lock of the gun and 
 exploded it. Both reports were so near together that we could 
 not distinguish one from the other. Just then ten or fifteen 
 Yankees jumped out of the bushes and commenced firing on us. 
 They were not more than ten steps from us. They shot Jim 
 Niblet through the cheek, shoulder and back of the hand, but 
 never touched me. Jim Niblet asked me, "How are we going to 
 get out?" I told him, "I will take you out," and we went 
 through that swamp on our horses and got back to where Hogan 
 was. Hogan said, "You carry your horses back there and tie 
 them in the woods and report to me. I am going to that road." 
 We went on through the woods and swamps to the road. When 
 we got to the road, we saw two wagons coming, carrying rations. 
 There were three Yankees guarding the wagons. We captured the 
 whole business, eight mules, the drivers, and the three Yankees. 
 We started off through the woods, and about that time saw about 
 twenty-five cavalrymen coming. They followed us right on 
 through the woods. We sent the prisoners on and mounted our 
 horses and we got in the rear of the Yankees. They were trying 
 to recapture the wagons and men. Hogan said, "Boys, I want two 
 of you to go up yonder and get behind a log by the side of the 
 road, and we will toll these Yankees by, and when they go by I 
 want you to fire into them." We did that and killed and captured 
 every one of the whole twenty-five men right there. 
 
 In 1864 General Hampton sent Shadbourne and a man by the 
 name. of Jim Sloan, who belonged to the First North Carolina 
 Cavalry, from Petersburg to Fredericksburg on some mission. 
 While they were at the hotel in Fredericksburg they were cap 
 tured by some Yankees and put on board a little schooner, sent 
 down the Rappahannock River and brought up the James River 
 to City Point. That night the guard and Shadbourne got to 
 talking, and the guard said he had a brother in the Confederate 
 Army, and it turned out that Shadbourne knew his brother and 
 told him where he was. The guard told them he was going to 
 turn them loose. He broke one handcuff on each man s wrist, 
 and told them there was a little skiff about a half mile down the 
 river, and if they could get to that they could get away. He told 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 105 
 
 them not to escape until the guards were changed, so that he 
 would not be suspected. They got away and swam down the river, 
 got to the skiff, and came out to where the scouts were camping. 
 The scouts were then encamped on James River, and their duty 
 was to report every transport that came or went on the river and 
 the number of men on it as far as possible. 
 
 In the winter of 1864 the scouts were below Petersburg in the 
 rear of the Union Army. We had our headquarters at a house 
 owned by Mrs. Tatum. We had twenty-six horses in the stables 
 and there were thirteen of us in the house, each had two horses. 
 One morning Shadbourne, who had charge of us, told us to go up 
 and saddle our horses. We got up and saddled the horses, and fed 
 them, and we sat down to breakfast about sunup. A negro girl 
 ran in and said, "Here is the Yankees." We jumped up from the 
 table and looked out of the back window and saw a good many 
 Yankees in the apple orchard. We ran to the front door. There 
 was a little flower garden in front and a lane up from the road to 
 the house, and the Yankees were hitching their horses at the 
 flower garden. Phil Hutchinson was one of the scouts. He said 
 to Shadbourne, "What are you going to do?" Dan Tanner said, 
 "Throw the door open and let s leave somebody to tell the tale." 
 We threw the door open and jumped out. They were filing into 
 the flower garden. We killed seven or eight in the garden, ran 
 over them and went to the lot to get our horses. Only one man 
 got to his horse, and that was Dan Tanner. We abandoned the 
 horses and had a run across an old field, I suppose for two hun 
 dred and fifty or three hundred yards. Shadbourne said: "Get 
 in line, men, or they will capture every one of us. Let s fight it 
 out." We fell back in line and they charged us twice, but we 
 repulsed them both times. They captured Shadbourne. They 
 had threatened to kill all of us if they captured us, and in a few 
 minutes after they captured him we heard three or four shots, 
 and we were all satisfied they had shot Shadbourne. A minute 
 or two afterwards we heard Shadbourne s whistle, and we 
 answered it, and he came to us. He had gotten away. He told 
 the Yankee colonel he had some plunder in the fence corner, and 
 the colonel detailed two men to go with him and get it, and when 
 
106 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 he got to the edge of the woods he made a break. They shot at 
 him, but he got away. That left us without horses. We returned 
 to the house after the Yankees left, and they had taken the lady s 
 two-horse wagon to carry the dead and wounded off. They 
 removed twenty-six dead and wounded. We marched that night 
 about fifteen miles to a lady s house by the name of Mrs. Gray. 
 She had a daughter by name Carrie Gray, who would give us 
 information. She had heard about the fight, and when we went 
 up to the house that night the others stayed outside and I went 
 in to see this young lady. I looked in the window and I saw 
 three Yankees sitting there talking to her. One was a "safe 
 guard," because I had seen him there before. There were only 
 two horses in the stables. I went to the back gate and the dog 
 barked and she came out. She said to me, "Who is this?" I said, 
 "Scott." She said, "The Yankees killed all of you, didn t they?" 
 I said, "They didn t kill a man, but they captured all of our 
 horses." She said, "If you go right down this road two miles 
 there are seventeen Yankees there on picket duty, and they have 
 seventeen gray horses." We went down that night, and killed 
 nine men and captured seventeen gray horses, then we went on 
 up to the general place of rendezvous and camped in the woods 
 and pitched our little tents. WVwere to meet a Virginia scouting 
 party there the next morning. Before day we heard a rumbling 
 through the woods. Everybody was up but one of the scouts, 
 Dr. Tom Thistle, a surgeon. We could not get him up. We told 
 him the Yankees were coming through the woods. He said, 
 "That is Curtis s party," but it was the Yankees. They recaptured 
 every horse, barring seven, and captured Dr. Tom Thistle. 
 
 That night we went to another end of the line, where there 
 were twenty-one men on post. We laid down and crawled up to 
 them, I suppose in fifteen steps of them. Those fellows sat up all 
 night long with their guns in their hands. Shadbourne crawled 
 along by each man and whispered, "Boys, I am going to charge 
 them." We charged them on foot and brought away twenty-one 
 horses and killed sixteen or seventeen men. 
 
 In June, 1864, we had been fighting a day or two and I needed 
 another horse. I told General Hampton, "I will have to go and 
 capture a horse." He asked me where I was going, and I told 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 107 
 
 him on the north side of the Northanna River. He gave me a 
 man by the name of Dolph Kennedy to go with me. We rode 
 all day long, and late that evening I saw some horses tracks in 
 the road, and I went to a house and asked a citizen what horses 
 had been along there. He told me the Yankees, and they had a 
 pontoon bridge across the river down there. I asked him if I 
 could see the pontoon bridge without going down. He said, 
 "Yes; you go down this road about two miles and you will turn 
 into a gate, and as soon as you get inside the gate, take a path, 
 and it will lead you to a bluff, and you can see right into the 
 Yankee camp." I went on and got down and hitched my horse, 
 and went to the bluff, and saw Sheridan crossing the river with 
 his cavalry, artillery and ammunition. I counted the flags and 
 the guns. That night I went back to the man s house and put my 
 horse in a little lot, and got this man to pilot me over the road. 
 He carried me to a lady s house, and she told me what she had 
 learned: that Sheridan was going into the Valley of Virginia, 
 and they had six days rations cooked and about ten thousand 
 men. I then told Kennedy he would have to carry a dispatch to 
 headquarters to General Hampton, about thirty-five miles away. 
 The next morning I watched the road they took, and reported to 
 General Hampton myself the next day. 
 
 I had to follow the movements all along and report to General 
 Hampton what road they were taking. He told me he wanted to 
 strike them when they were crossing the railroad. We whipped 
 them there and got them on the run. I was following along the 
 flanks in order to notify General Hampton what road Sheridan 
 was retreating on. One night I stayed in the woods all night 
 by myself, and the next morning about sunup I went to a house 
 to get breakfast. I saw two horses with their heads in a crib door. 
 I rode in five feet of it and looked in the crib, and saw two 
 Yankees in there filling up sacks with corn. I could not see the 
 house ; I saw eight or ten in the yard on their horses. I put spurs 
 to my horse and charged, and yelled, "Come on, boys, here they 
 are." I jumped off my horse, and threw the reins over the fence, 
 and ran into the yard. I had a double-barrel shotgun, and I shot 
 two from their horses and captured two, and brought away four 
 horses by myself. I gave a citizen one of the horses to take charge 
 of the prisoners and take them back. 
 
108 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 After the last days of fighting on Sheridan s raid, I was scout 
 ing for General Butler, but still doing special duty for General 
 Hampton. General Butler told me General Hampton wanted to 
 send me to Fredericksburg, and he said : "I want you to go there 
 and come back." It was about sixty miles. He said, "You have 
 been throwing off on me, and if you throw off on me this time, I 
 will put you in the guardhouse." I went to Fredericksburg and 
 stayed there two weeks. I got back to Richmond and put my 
 horse in the stables. I then went to the Exchange Hotel, which 
 was run by a man named George McMaster. I looked on the 
 register and I saw General M. C. Butler s name. I asked Mr. 
 McMaster to show me General Butler s room. General Butler had 
 told me to bring him a hat from Fredericksburg, and 1 had 
 bought the hat for him. Mr. McMaster showed me General But 
 ler s room and I knocked at the door. General Butler told me to 
 come in, and I went in. General Butler said to me, u Where have 
 you been?" I said, "I have been to Fredericksburg." He said, 
 "Didn t I tell you to go there and come back?" I said, "Yes, sir." 
 It made me feel pretty cheap the way he talked to me before the 
 other officers. He said, "Did you bring that hat?" I said, "Yes, 
 sir." "Where is it," he asked. "Out here in the office," I said. 
 "Go and get it," he said. I replied, "No, sir; if I go to the guard 
 house, you don t get that hat, General." General Butler said, 
 "Go and get the hat." I said, "I have got to have a promise 
 whether I go to the guardhouse or not." I knew he felt a deli 
 cacy in making a promise to a private before the other officers, 
 but I knew after he got the hat I would never be sent to the 
 guardhouse. So I got the hat. It was an elegant hat, with a gold 
 cord, and fitted him "jam up." The other officers tried to get 
 General Butler to send me back to Fredericksburg to get them 
 hats. I said, "General, I have got a canteen of rye liquor in the 
 office," and he said, "Bring it up." I brought it in and they 
 stayed up there a good while, having a good time. I stayed in 
 General Butler s room that night, and the next morning he asked 
 me where my horse was. I said, "In the stables," and he gave 
 me an order to put him in the government stables, for he wanted 
 me to stay in Richmond with him for two or three days. He let 
 me have a little money, and I stayed with him. We then went to 
 headquarters below Petersburg, and he never put me in the guard 
 house, never. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 109 
 
 
 
 In 1893 I was on my way to Washington. General Butler had 
 given me a position as his messenger in the Senate and I was 
 going to Washington to take the position. I heard two gentlemen 
 on the train talking, and I knew from their conversation that 
 both of the men belonged to the Federal Army during the Civil 
 War. I asked the man on the seat beside me what command he 
 belonged to. He said the Third North Carolina, United States 
 Volunteers. I asked him who the man was on the seat in front of 
 us. He said he was the colonel of the Second New York Cavalry, 
 M. B. Birdseye. I asked the man sitting on the seat with Colonel 
 Birdseye to change seats with me, as I wanted to talk to the 
 Colonel, which he did. I asked the Colonel what command he 
 belonged to, and he said he was colonel of the Second New York, 
 "Harris Light Cavalry." I asked him, "Do you recollect Captain 
 Mason in your regiment?" He said to me, "Yes, sir; what do you 
 know about Captain Mason?" I said, "I was one of the party 
 that captured him." He then said to me, "Who was with you, 
 and how did you capture Captain Mason?" I told him. He 
 said, "What were you doing?" I said, "I was one of General 
 Hampton s scouts." He said, "Who had charge of your scouts?" 
 I told him Hogan. He said, "No, sir; Hogan was shot." I 
 replied, "He was shot afterwards." He said, "You killed a negro 
 that morning." I said "Yes, sir, and we captured Captain Mason, 
 his orderly sergeant and two of his privates." During the con 
 versation he asked me about a number of the scouts, calling their 
 names, and finally he came to my name, and said, "Where is 
 Scott?" I said, "Here he is, talking to you." I asked him where 
 he got those names. He said, "I have got all of the names right 
 here in my satchel." He showed me the names of General Hamp 
 ton s and General Butler s scouts. He told me, "I have a petition 
 here in my valise that was written by Shadbourne asking per 
 mission to organize a company of scouts to operate inside of the 
 Federal lines, approved by General Hampton and disapproved by 
 Generals Stuart and Lee on the ground that it was too large a 
 squad to operate inside the enemy s lines." I asked the Colonel 
 where he got it, and he said he took it out of Shadbourne s pocket. 
 I said, "If you took it out of Shadbourne s pocket, it must have 
 been the morning you surrounded the house we were in at Des- 
 potona, Mrs. Tatum s house." He said, "Yes." He asked, "Were 
 
110 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 you in that house?" I told him I was, and asked what damage 
 we did. He said, "You killed and wounded twenty-six of my 
 men. You had a gallant little band. We had.you surrounded in 
 the house and you fought your way out and got away." Colonel 
 M. B. Birdseye was colonel of the Second New York Cavalry, and 
 lives at Fayetteville, N. Y. 
 
 I don t recall the exact time, but Polly Eison, three other men 
 and myself took nineteen horses out of the Yankee camp at Snow 
 Hill, N. C., in 1865, when Sherman was going through the State. 
 There was a Yankee guard sitting by the fire and the flag was 
 sticking up in the ground. After we carried the horses off, I told 
 the boys to wait on me, that I was going back and get that head 
 quarters flag. I crawled up to within about five yards of the 
 fellow, and just about the time I was going to make a grab for 
 the flag he saw me and said, "Halt, halt." I jumped behind the 
 tent. I could have killed him and got the flag, but I didn t want 
 to shoot and disturb the camp, for we were in a close place. We 
 had a citizen along who was piloting us. He piloted us back to 
 the bridge, and we intended to capture the vidette and cross the 
 bridge, but the Yankees beat us to the bridge and set fire to it. 
 We went to the river with the horses, nineteen of them besides 
 five of our own, and rode up and down the river until we 
 found a place where we could get out on the opposite side. We 
 then dismounted and pushed the horses into the stream and swam 
 across the river, three at a time until we got them all across. That 
 evening we stopped at a house on the opposite side of the river, 
 and saw a column of Yankee cavalrymen coming up with a flag 
 of truce. They could have captured all of us, but we went out 
 to meet them, and they said they had a letter to deliver to some 
 young lady in the neighborhood ; but we knew there was no such 
 lady in the neighborhood. I said to them, "That is not what you 
 are after. This citizen says there is no such lady in this neigh 
 borhood. You want to find out who went into your camp last 
 night and took your horses. We are the men that did it. We 
 took nineteen head of horses from you last night. We are Gen 
 eral Butler s scouts." He said he was very glad to find out who 
 had taken the horses, for they were under the impression the 
 citizens had taken them. I said, "No, sir; we did it ourselves." 
 I then told him to go along back with his flag of truce. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. Ill 
 
 In 1864 we were in the rear of Grant s Army, down near City 
 Point. Grant had about four or five thousand head of cattle there, 
 and we watched these cattle for two weeks, trying to get General 
 Hampton to go there and capture them. We piloted General 
 Hampton down one day, and that morning he said, "If I can get 
 to the cattle without being discovered, I can bring them out." 
 We carried him down where the cattle were. I heard Dick 
 Hogan, chief of General Butler s scouts, tell General Hampton: 
 "General, right yonder under that tree stands the vidette, and 
 there is a barricade just beyond that vidette, and about half a 
 mile back is the regiment that is guarding these cattle." He told 
 General Rosser this. General Hampton had told us just the day 
 before he wanted the scouts to stay with him, but the soldiers 
 always said that the scouts always stirred up the fight and then 
 we would run. Hogan said to us, "Boys, do you want to go into 
 the fight?" We told him "Yes." He said, "Well, cut across this 
 column and get in front and join Rosser." They asked, "What 
 men are these in front?" We told them we were General Butler s 
 scouts. As the vidette fired, we rode right along and fired at him 
 to kill him. Seven or eight shot at him. We charged right 
 through the barricade and kept right on to the camp, expecting 
 General Rosser to come on, but nobody charged that camp but 
 General Butler s scouts, and we got whipped. We were shooting 
 at them right in tlieir tents. There was a scout in front by the 
 name of McCalla, and he said to me, "Scott, I am shot." I asked 
 him if he wanted me to go back with him, and about that time I 
 was shot through the wrist, and a Yankee knocked Walker Russell 
 off his horse with the butt of his gun. We went back and joined 
 Rosser, who had gone into the fight. General Hampton then told 
 him to dismount his men and take the camp. We captured the 
 whole regiment and drove out 2,468 head of cattle. We drove 
 them back and got them into our camp the next night. That 
 evening the Yankees caught us, having got in front, and we had 
 a fight about four o clock that evening, but we whipped them 
 out and brought the cattle on. The cattle stretched along the road 
 for seven miles. I never saw such a sight in my life. They were 
 the finest cattle I ever saw. The names of Butler s scouts who 
 led this charge were J. D. Hogan, Walker Russell, Bill Turner, 
 J. C. Colvin, Jim Dulin, Simmons, Jim Niblet, Shake Harris, 
 
112 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Hugh Scott, Dan Tanner, Jim Sloan, - - McCalla, and Jack 
 Shoolbred. 
 
 On the llth March, 1865, we went into the town of Fayette- 
 ville, N. C. I was riding along with General Hampton at the 
 head of Wheeler s Cavalr}^. I asked the General how long he 
 proposed to stay in town, and he told me he wanted to get break 
 fast. He said, "I will stop at the hotel." I asked him if I could 
 stop at a private house. He said, "Yes, but report to me at the 
 hotel." I rode up on the sidewalk and hitched my horse to the 
 fence, and knocked at the door of a house. A lady came to the 
 door, and I asked her if I could get breakfast. She told me to 
 come in, that breakfast was on the table. I sat down and ate my 
 breakfast. When I got out of the house, Wheeler s Cavalry were 
 running back, helter skelter, and I jumped on my horse and asked 
 them what was the matter. They replied the Yankees had 
 charged the center of the column and cut them in two. I knew 
 that my duty was to go to General Hampton, so I sat on my horse 
 until the crowd passed by, and after they got by I rode out in 
 the center of the street and looked down towards Cape Fear River 
 for about ten blocks. I could see cavalry down the street, but I 
 rode on down by myself. There was a market house right in the 
 center of the street, and a cross street. I saw ten or fifteen 
 Yankees sitting on their horses about ten steps from the corner. 
 They fired at me as I passed and I gave them one shot. I rode on 
 down to Cape Fear bridge, and General Hampton was there 
 trying to rally the men, but he could not do so. I galloped up to 
 him and said, "General, there are not over ten or fifteen Yankees 
 here. Give me four or five men, and I will whip them out of 
 town." In his memorial address in South Carolina, in describing 
 this affair, General Hampton said: "One of my scouts, a beard 
 less boy, Scott by name, galloped up to me and said, General, 
 there are not over a hundred Yankees here. Give me five or six 
 men and I will whip them out of town. That boy so inspired me, 
 that I said, You scouts follow me. r 
 
 He said to me, "Scott, where are they?" I told him to the left 
 of the market house. As we turned the corner they commenced 
 firing on us, and we on them. General Hampton said, "Charge 
 them." We charged up to them and shoved our pistols right in 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 113 
 
 their faces and got them started on the run, up one street and 
 down another, consequently some of them who had gone towards 
 the bridge got behind us. After we had killed or captured most 
 of this squad we were after, I looked and saw some behind us, 
 and I yelled, "General here they are behind us." General Hamp 
 ton said: "Men, sit still and pick them off one by one as they 
 come down." They came down as hard as they could, and we 
 picked them off. I saw General Hampton cut down two with his 
 sabre that morning. I saw one Yankee jump off his horse and 
 run into a back yard and put his horse in a stable. After the 
 fight was over, I went back to this yard and found the fellow in a 
 kitchen behind a safe, and I brought him out. We killed thirteen 
 and captured twelve. We captured Captain Duncan and Dan 
 Day, who was in a Confederate uniform. Dan Day was chief of 
 scouts of the Seventeenth Army Corps, and Captain Duncan was 
 chief of scouts of the Army of Tennessee, in Sherman s command. 
 General Hampton asked Dan Day, "What are you doing in a 
 Confederate uniform?" He made some reply, and General 
 Hampton told him he would have him shot. General Hampton 
 had with him in this affair Privates Wells, Bellinger and Fish- 
 burne of the Charleston Light Dragoons, Scott and one member 
 of General Wheeler s command. 
 
 Copy of letter written by General Hampton in regard to the 
 Fayetteville affair: 
 
 Hd. Qrs. Cavalry, 19 March, 1865. 
 Lieutenant : 
 
 I take great pleasure in commending to you Privates Wells, Bellenger, 
 and Fishburne of your company, who, with Privates Scott and one member 
 of General Wheeler s command, whose name I regret I do not know, acted 
 with conspicuous gallantry in charging and driving from the town of 
 Fayetteville that party of the enemy s cavalry which entered the town before 
 it had been evacuated by our troops. Their conduct on this occasion 
 reflects high credit upon them as soldiers. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 Your obt. Servt, 
 
 WADE HAMPTON, 
 
 Lt. Harleston, Lieut. General. 
 
 Commanding Co. "K," 4th S. C. Cavalry. 
 
 8 B. C. 
 
114 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 WHO STARTED THE WAR? 
 
 4) 
 
 The Star of the West was fired on in the Charleston harbor 
 9th January, 1861, but the first disunion speech ever made in the 
 United States House of Representatives was by Josiah Quincy. 
 of Massachusetts, in regard to the Louisiana Enabling Act, 14th 
 January, 1811. He said : 
 
 "I am compelled to declare it as my deliberate opinion, that if 
 this bill passes, the bonds of this Union are virtually dissolved; 
 that the States which compose it are free from their moral obli 
 gations, and that as it will be the right of all, so it will be the 
 duty of some to prepare definitely for a separation amicably if 
 they can, violently if they must." 
 
 Behold the sower (Mr. Quincy) went forth to sow Secession 
 seed. This same seed took root and slowly grew for exactly half 
 a century and proved to be the nucleus around which the bloodiest 
 war of modern times was lighted up. 
 
 Question, who started the war ? 
 
 I know that men from all races and nations of the world were 
 enlisted to follow the greatest general of the English-speaking 
 people to Appomattox to see him surrender his eight thousand 
 muskets. 
 
 Was Mr. Josiah Quincy a traitor? 
 
 No. 
 
 Was President Jefferson Davis a traitor ? 
 
 How could he be if Mr. Josiah Quincy was not ? 
 
 The Capture of a Gunboat in Edisto River 
 (CHARLES MONTAGUE.) 
 
 This is the capture of a gunboat in Edisto River, 10th July, 
 1863, by Walter s Battery assisted by a company of cavalry of 
 Butler s Cavalry, and the story of one of Butler s scouts in Fort 
 Delaware. 
 
 In 1862 the Sixth Regiment of South Carolina Cavalry was 
 stationed on the coast of that State with regimental headquarters 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 115 
 
 at Adams Run. Company "B" was on detached service at Jack- 
 sonborough, a small station on the Charleston and Savannah 
 Railroad, a few hundred yards south of the railroad bridge over 
 the Edisto River. This company did picket duty at Bennett s 
 Point on Bear s Island at a point where a cut off from the Edisto, 
 called Musquito Creek, enters the Ashepoo. At this point there 
 was an oyster bed and we feasted on oysters whenever we were 
 there. The road from the railroad station at Jacksonborough ran 
 down by Glover s plantation, then by Clifford s plantation, about 
 a mile below where it entered Titi Swamp (I do not know if I 
 spell that name correctly) a low, marshy place several miles in 
 extent, with no timber thereon, and through this swamp the road 
 had been made by throwing up a levee and making a causeway 
 thereon of logs, etc. After traversing this causeway four or five 
 miles, the road entered on dry land, called Bear s Island, and on 
 this island at a house called by us the "White House" the reserve 
 station was usually stationed, generally consisting of eighteen or 
 twenty men from our company, and sometimes commanded by a 
 commissioned officer and sometimes by a non-commissioned. 
 About half way through that "Titi" Swamp, a small levee 
 branched off from the causeway and ran for about 250 yards down 
 to a small patch of dry land, just at the bank of the river and 
 inhabited in 1863 by a family of negroes, who had a little corn 
 field of an acre or two between the house and the causeway. Just 
 opposite this little negro patch, on the north side of the Edisto, 
 was a small bluff called Willtown, and on this was a slight forti- 
 cation occupied at that time by a battery of light artillery, whose 
 I have forgotten, whilst in the river between the bluff and the 
 negro patch, two or three row^s of heavy piling had been driven, 
 that obstructed the passage of vessels up the river; from this place 
 up to the railroad bridge there was nothing on the south side of 
 the river to prevent vessels from ascending, and I do not think 
 that there was anything on the north side. We all thought that 
 the little fortification at Willtown and the piling in the river was 
 sufficient. On each side of the causeway and the little levee had 
 grown up very high and thick rows of blackberry bushes. About 
 two miles from our camp at Jacksonborough, down the railroad 
 was encamped Captain George H. Walter s Battery of the Wash 
 ington Artillery, mostly Charleston boys, I think ; at Green Pond, 
 
116 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 near the Ashepoo, was brigade headquarters, but I forget whether 
 General Hagood or General Robertson was in command. On 
 the morning of the 10th of July, that year, we were aroused about 
 daylight, or a little before, by discharges of artillery down the 
 river. In a few minutes thereafter, Lieutenant John Bauskett, 
 then in command of the company, came down to my mess and 
 ordered W. B. Brooks (whom we always called Fely) and myself 
 to go down the river and ascertain what that firing was about. 
 
 Fely and I mounted and went down the road. Just after we 
 passed the railroad station, the firing ceased and we rode on to 
 Clifford s, where, near the bank of the river was a large, two- 
 story rice barn, with a scuttle hole in the roof, from which one 
 could have a pretty good view over "Titi" Swamp nearly to Will- 
 town (the river at Clifford s makes a bend of several hundred 
 yards towards the north). Tying our horses, we ascended to the 
 scuttle, and Fely went upon the roof and then called to me, 
 "Charlie, I see three vessels down there at Willtown, and every 
 thing appears to be quiet; come up here and look." I went out 
 on the roof and looked and could see plainly the vessels, but could 
 not tell what they were doing, as we had no glasses; we came 
 down, talked over the matter together, and then decided that 
 Fely should hurry back to Lieutenant Bauskett and tell him all 
 that we had seen, and say that we thought the Yankees must have 
 whipped the battery at Willtown and were pulling up the piling 
 in the river, whilst I should go down the causeway through Titi 
 and ascertain if they had landed and taken possession of any part 
 of the causeway. We had at that time, as well as I recollect, 
 eighteen men on Bear s Island, under the command of Corporal 
 John Briggs, a most excellent soldier, with lots of grit in him. 
 Fely Brooks started back in a gallop and I rode down to the 
 causeway and down it, concealing myself and horse behind the 
 blackberry briers until I came to a small levee leading to the 
 negro s patch opposite Willtown, when I could plainly see the 
 enemy at work, but could not see what they were doing. Having 
 ascertained that the causeway was clear, I went back to my horse 
 and then rode back. About 100 yards or a little more from the 
 mainland, I met Lieutenant Bauskett, with Fely Brooks and the 
 company. I reported to him and he said that he was going down 
 to the little levee, and hold the causeway until Corporal Briggs 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 117 
 
 and his men should get by, adding: "I am not going to lose 
 those men without making an effort to save them." We suggested 
 to him that if he went down that causeway, the gunboats would 
 sweep us off it, and then he started one man, Reuben Richardson, 
 as nearly as I can now recollect, down the road, telling him to 
 ride as fast as he could and order Briggs to bring out the pickets 
 as quickly as he could, then he went back to the mainland and 
 dismounting the company, left the horses there and we went on 
 foot down the causeway, concealing ourselves as well as we could 
 behind the blackberry bushes, and we succeeded in reaching the 
 little levee without being discovered. Here Lieutenant Bauskett 
 had the men to lie down by the side of the causeway, and taking 
 Fely Brooks and myself with him, went down the little levee to 
 the negro patch and lay down just outside of his little field. We 
 could plainly hear somebody about the negro s house catching 
 pigs and poultry, and the gallant lieutenant said, "If any of them 
 come out here where we can see them we will take them in," but 
 none of them came, and after lying there for perhaps three- 
 fourths of an hour, the lieutenant said it was about time for 
 Briggs to be going by, so we had better get back to the cause^vay. 
 This we did, and in a little while we saw r the corporal and his men 
 coming in a gallop; the Yankees apparently did not discover 
 them until they had gotten nearly to us. When they did, the 
 three boats opened on them with shell. Down on their horses 
 necks leaned the men as they rode through us on the run. As they 
 passed, the dismounted men jumped up and started after them, 
 but they did not turn their attention to us. For two miles or 
 more over that causeway, the shells screamed over us. We would 
 drop to the ground every few minutes and then up and on, we 
 wished those blackberry briers had been sand banks forty feet 
 through. I ran until I w r as exhausted, then commenced to walk 
 along. George Addison stopped with me, and said: "Charlie, 
 they can shell all they want to, I m run down, I can t go any 
 faster." And just then we heard the report of some more guns 
 and we both stopped, and almost immediately a shell went over 
 us so close that we felt, or imagined we felt, the air from it. We 
 sprang up and George yelled out: "Great God, Montague, that 
 was close; if we had been standing both of us would have been 
 cut in two." And he started off again in a hurry. I trotted after 
 
118 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 him, but we could not go fast and had to slow down in a few 
 steps. Although we were shelled for two miles or more, not a 
 man was hurt by this fire. Every shell sank ir^to the mud of the 
 swamp as it fell, and if one exploded I did not see it or hear 
 of it. 
 
 As we emerged from the swamp, we found Lieutenant S. G. 
 Horsey, who had arrived with his artillery company, one com 
 pany of the Washington Artillery. He told Lieutenant Bauskett 
 that the only suitable place he had found from which to make a 
 fight was Glover s plantation ; we rode back towards it, and as we 
 passed Clifford s, the lieutenant said that he wanted a man left 
 to watch that point and let him know when the gunboats passed 
 there. Bauskett detailed me, and I rode behind the rice barn 
 and waited, how long I do not remember, perhaps three- fourths 
 of an hour, when I saw two boats turn the bend and come straight 
 towards me. As I rode from the barn and came into view of them 
 again, they commenced shelling, to find out if any more Rebs were 
 there, I suppose. I watched them until they had passed the land, 
 and then I rode in a run and found Lieutenant S. G. Horsey had 
 stationed four pieces of his artillery in the road behind a rose 
 hedge, through which they had cut openings for the guns. He 
 had an open field all the way to the river, about 400 yards, I 
 think, but could not see a boat until it passed the point of some 
 heavy timber, growing just below the field. I informed him that 
 the boats had passed Clifford s without landing, and he told me 
 that he did not need me further, and to rejoin Company "B," 
 which was up the road a little waj^. I rode about two hundred 
 yards and found a part of the company, holding the horses, and 
 they said Lieutenant Bauskett had taken the balance of the com 
 pany to the river near Glover s house. I gave one of the men my 
 horse and went down to the house and between it and the river, 
 behind a little hedge of box, I found the brave lieutenant and the 
 men lying down. I asked him what they were going to do there, 
 and he said : "If the gunboats succeed in passing Walters s bat 
 tery we are going to sweep them with our carbines." If I recollect 
 correctly, the main channel of the river, up which the boats would 
 have to come, was within seventy-five yards of our position, and 
 we had about fifty men there with muzzle-loading Enfield car 
 bines with which to "sweep them." I remarked to the lieutenant : 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 119 
 
 "Do you think we can do it?" And Jie said we would have to; 
 that if they passed the battery there was nothing else to stop them 
 but our company, and if we did not do it they would destroy the 
 railroad bridge. I laid down beside my old chum, Fely Brooks, 
 and he whispered to me : "Charlie, we are in a tight place." And 
 I answered, yes, but we would have to stand it, and I thought 
 the artillery boys could whip them. About ten or fifteen minutes 
 after I got there one of the boats poked her nose out past the point 
 of timber, but not until she came out in full view did the artillery 
 open on her, and either at the first or second shot the splinters 
 flew from her, and those Charleston boys behind those guns gave 
 a big yell, and for one who was not as scared as I was then, for 
 fifteen or twenty minutes there was as pretty a little artillery duel 
 as one ever saw. Every time the splinters flew from the boat 
 Walter s boys yelled (we did not want them to know we were 
 there, so we kept quiet). At the end of that time the battery had 
 whipped them completely, they fell back behind the timber, one 
 of the boats being badly crippled and smoking terribly. They 
 retreated down the river and abandoned her at the piling at Will- 
 town, where next day Lieutenant Bauskett. Fely Brooks, myself, 
 Uly Brooks (I think) and another man, named Bill Busbee, went 
 on the wreck, but the fellows from the other side of the river at 
 Willtown and elsewhere had already been there and despoiled her 
 of everything that the Yanks had left except a few canister shot. 
 In writing this reminiscence I have had two objects in view : 
 one was to try to do justice to that gallant company, Captain 
 George H. Walters s battery of the Washington Artillery, who, 
 in my opinion, have been badly treated in the only report I have 
 ever seen of this affair, that of Major Johnson in his work, "The 
 Defence of Charleston Harbor," in which he says nothing at all 
 of the brave fight they made w T hich saved the railroad bridge. 
 You were there, as well as your brother, Fely, and myself, and 
 you know that there was nothing to stop the Yankee gunboats 
 except that battery of Captain Walters s. After they passed 
 Willtown they had no fort, no breastwork of any kind, and they 
 planted their four little guns in the shallow trench made for 
 the horse hedge, and they fought them so effectively that they 
 ruined one boat and caused the other to get away behind that 
 timber as fast as she could. Indeed, I heard afterwards that the 
 
120 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 second boat was also damaged, but I do not know whether this 
 report was true or not. But we and all the members of Company 
 "B" do know that Walters s battery saved that bridge and no 
 other command did it. 
 
 I have always believed that Fely Brooks s ride back to the com 
 pany with the report that he made caused Lieutenant Bauskett 
 to send for the Washington Artillery to come in time and thereby 
 enabled them to select the position that was best for them to fight 
 from. It is hard for me to write about Fely Brooks, even at this 
 late day, for when I, after serving for thirteen months in the 
 Second Texas mounted riflemen, out on the Western frontier of 
 that State, was discharged, being only seventeen, returned to 
 South Carolina and reenlisted in Company U B," Sixth South 
 Carolina Cavalry, Fely Brooks was one of the first to welcome 
 me into that company, and from that day until his death, June 
 12, 1864, at the battle of Trevillion Station, Virginia, I ever found 
 him to be as brave and true a -soldier, as gallant a gentleman, as 
 close a friend and as devoted to the cause of our loved Southland 
 as any man that ever wore the gray. I am glad that you have 
 dedicated your book to his memory, and I am ready at any time 
 to do all I can to aid you in these reminiscences, and if I err in 
 any of my recollections, remember that it is not intentional, but 
 the fault of a memory that was in my young days good, but it is 
 not now, at sixty-two, as good as it was at eighteen. 
 
 I had the further desire to let the people who have come since 
 that day, and those who will come after us, know that whilst old 
 Company "B," being cavalry, did not and could not do much 
 towards stopping those gunboats, they did all they could, and 
 were ready to do more if^ they had been called upon, and I am 
 inclined to the opinion that if those brave boys of Walters s had 
 not whipped the gunboats when they did, there would not have 
 been many of Company "B" left to tell the tale, for a box hedge 
 would have been rather a slender protection from grape shot 
 and canister at not more than seventy-five yards distance. 
 
 Always your old comrade, 
 
 CHAS. MONTAGUE. 
 
 P. S. Whilst writing reminiscences one has occurred to me, 
 in which I had no part, but tell it as it was told to me, and is one 
 
CAPTAIN JOHN C. FOSTER 
 JACK SHOOLBRED 
 
 J. C. COLVIX 
 CHARLES MONTAGUE 
 
 Captain John Foster deserved and was offered promotion by Hampton and Butler, 
 but declined to leave his company. 
 
122 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 that I think Colonel Brooks, now in his old age, will enjoy, hence 
 I tell it. 
 
 In 1863, whilst we were encamped at Jacksenborough, there 
 were two boys, brothers, in the company, named Mitt and Mil- 
 ledge Scott, who came from some part of the backwoods of 
 Edgefield, and had never been anywhere else. About all that 
 they knew was to plough straight furrows and to shoot straight. 
 In their conversation they used, to a good extent, the dialect of 
 their Scotch ancestors, saying "her" when they should say "I," 
 etc. One day whilst on the island at the reserve station, these 
 boys got permission to go to Bennett s Point to get oysters. After 
 they had gone, Uly Brooks, a mischievous seventeen-year-old 
 boy in the company, Jim Kimball and three others, knowing that 
 it would be some time in the night before the Scotts could get 
 back, thought it would be a good joke to waylay them and cap 
 ture at least the oysters, if not the boys themselves. So they went 
 down the road tow r ards the Point, about half w T ay, and concealed 
 themselves by the side of the road in an old field grown up with 
 broomstraw, and awaited the coming of the boys. After dark 
 awhile the two Scotts came along talking to themselves, each with 
 a sack of oysters in the saddle in front of him; just as they got 
 abreast of the ambuscade Uly and the rest sprang up and shouted : 
 "Surrender, you Kebels, surrender," and fired off their guns; the 
 sacks of oysters fell to the ground, the horses sprang off, but only 
 for a few yards, when the Scotts checked them and, unslinging 
 their guns, wheeled upon the jokers. One of them shouted to his 
 brother, "Here, Mitt, you hold her creetur," and down from his 
 horse he sprang, and aiming his carbine at the man nearest to 
 him, was about to fire, when the jokers yelled: "Don t shoot, 
 Milledge, don t shoot, we are friends, we are only playing a joke." 
 Mitt Scott said, "We ens took youens for Yankees." Some of the 
 others say that Uly Brooks and Kimball, as they cried out, would 
 jump about four feet in the air and yell : "Don t shoot, Milledge, 
 don t shoot." Well, the result was that the jokers had to assist in 
 picking up the oysters and act as an escort back to the camp for 
 the Scotts, upon whom no more practical jokes were played. 
 
 The above is absolutely true. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 123 
 
 THE STORY OF ONE OF BUTLER S SCOUTS IN 
 FORT DELAWARE 
 
 J. H. Brent, of Cobbs s Legion, Georgia ; - - Carroll, of Jeff 
 Davis s Legion, and myself (John H. Pierce), were captured on 
 the afternoon of the 3d day of February, 1864, by Captain 
 McDowell, Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, in Fauquier County, 
 Virginia. We had left our horses back with the main body of 
 scouts under the command of Shadbourne, and started across the 
 country, having left the public roads, hoping to dodge Yankee 
 scouting parties intending to go over into the Yankee lines and 
 dine with a family by the name of Rector, and then make our 
 way back by a Yankee picket post, capture them and their horses 
 and get out of the Yankee lines before they could give chase. We 
 had gotten about a half mile within the Yankee lines, and just as 
 we were about to cross a public road we saw a column of Yankee 
 cavalry come into view, and as we saw them we made for a piece 
 of timber land. They gave chase and we stopped just as we 
 reached the skirts of the timber and waited their coming within 
 gunshot two of us being armed with double-barreled shotguns 
 and fired, wounding several of their horses. 
 
 We were in hopes that they would think that we had been sent 
 out as a decoy, but they would not take the bluff, and came 
 charging upon us and surrounded the woods. We made for cover, 
 hoping to be able to secrete ourselves and avoid capture. J. H. 
 Brent ran up into an old ravine and was the first captured. Carroll 
 and myself ran on through the timber, and ran out into the 
 old field, covered with broom sage and briers, and tried to evade 
 the Yankees. In the meantime Captain McDowell had deployed 
 his men about twenty feet apart, and was riding abreast over the 
 field. Having already gone through the piece of woodland as the 
 Yankees came riding through the field, they rode over us without 
 seeing us. They had gone about one hundred yards beyond us, 
 when their commanding officer halted his men and ordered them 
 to give up the search, as we had escaped. Upon their return one 
 of the Yankee cavalrymen spied us in the grass and ordered us 
 to surrender. As we rose up out of the straw and briers we were 
 met with a volley of hisses and curses. We drew our pistols, 
 cocked them, and was about to fire into the Yankees when Captain 
 McDowell rode up and ordered his men to attention. They paid 
 
JOHN H. PIERCE, SCOUT 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 125 
 
 little or no attention to his orders at first, and he even struck 
 several over their heads with the side of his sabre before he could 
 command attention. They were the most violent set of Yankees 
 I ever saw, and we were expecting to be shot every minute, yet 
 we intended to sell our lives dearly. We surrendered our pistols, 
 and mounted behind some of the troopers and started back to the 
 Yankee camp. As soon as they were formed I reached around 
 the big Dutchman, caught hold of his bridle reins and ordered 
 him to take me up to the front of the column, where I could see 
 the captain in command. He obeyed and rode up to the front, 
 where I was greeted by Captain McDowell in the most gentle 
 manly manner. One of his first remarks was that if all the Con 
 federate Army was composed of such material as we three, the 
 Yankees had better quit fighting, as they could never whip us. 
 We were carried to General Grant s headquarters and put under 
 guard. On the first night we conceived the idea of making our 
 escape from the guards, stealing horses from General Grant s 
 headquarters, and then make our way back into the Confederate 
 lines. As night came on we crawled up to the fence, and I had 
 mounted and was about to make my leap off of the stockade 
 fence when I heard a sentinel cock his gun, and I fell back into 
 the enclosure like a rock, with all idea for the time being of 
 stealing Grant s horses dissipated. We were held here for two 
 days in sight of General Grant s headquarters, where we could 
 see him mount and ride off and return, and then we were sent to 
 Washington City, where we were held in the old Capitol building. 
 Our rations at this place, w r hile plentiful, were not palatable. It 
 consisted of light bread, salt pork and sometimes beef for dinner. 
 For breakfast we had mush and molasses, and sometimes tea. On 
 one occasion, while at breakfast, while being held here, Brent 
 remarked that the diet was unfit for a dog to eat. This was over 
 heard by one of the Yankees, who retorted that it was better than 
 Lee s fighting men had in the field. Brent replied: "Damn an 
 army that couldn t live on air and fight for such a cause as ours." 
 The Yankee replied with a blow in Brent s face. I felled the 
 Yankee with one blow under the eye. A Yankee sergeant came 
 rushing up w r ith a squad and put Brent, Carroll and myself out 
 in the yard with about one hundred Yankee criminals, charged 
 with every imaginable crime. As soon as we were out into the 
 
126 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 yard the door was locked on us, and then began such a melee as 
 I have seldom seen. As soon as the door was locked the Yankee 
 who had struck Brent in the dining room, grabbed him by his 
 hair, snatched him to the ground and kicked *him in the face 
 with a pair of heavy boots. This was a most uneven contest, as 
 Brent was a very small man, weighing about 115 pounds, while 
 the Yankee weighed twice as much. Another rushed up and 
 knocked Carroll down with a pair of brass knucks. For some 
 time I never saw anything of what became of them, as a big 
 Englisman rushed up and made at me with his fist. I parried 
 his blow, struck him in the face and kicked him in the stomach, 
 bringing him to the ground. He was up in a minute and rushing, 
 with his eyes shut, like a mad bull upon me. I repeated the dose, 
 but he was game and came full tilt again. About this time the 
 Yankee prisoners had formed a circle around us, and began 
 yelling: "Give him hell, Johnny Reb ; give him hell." After this 
 had gone on for some considerable time the Yankee sentinels came 
 up and stopped the fracas. Brent came near dying from the 
 brutal treatment he received at the hands and feet of the Yankee 
 who resented his remarks, as erysipelas set in from the bruises 
 before he had recovered. There was a great deal of smallpox 
 among the prisoners, I myself having a very severe case, from 
 which I came near dying. After I had recovered from the small 
 pox I also had erysipelas, and, while I was in the hospital 
 undergoing treatment for it, the famous Confederate spy, Belle 
 Boyd, who was also in prison, although she had access to the 
 hospital, came around through my ward. I well never forget 
 her as she appeared on this occasion. She stopped at my couch 
 and conversed at some length with us in reference to our cause, 
 our chance for success and our mutual experiences. I believe she 
 had the courage to undertake anything for the good of the Con 
 federate service. While held at Washington we had a daily 
 paper, gotten out in the prison by Hennigan, Second South Caro 
 lina Cavalry, General Butler s old regiment. Hennigan had been 
 one of the scouts, but quit them and raised an independent com 
 pany in Virginia. After we left Washington City I do not know 
 what became of him. About the first day of June, 1864, about 
 four hundred of us were driven into the hull of an old cattle boat 
 and taken down the Potomac, up the Chesapeake Bay into <the 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 127 
 
 Delaware Bay thence up the Delaware River to Fort Delaware. 
 Soon after our arrival at Fort Delaware our rations were cut in 
 half, the cause of which was afterwards ascertained to be in 
 retaliation for treatment received by Yankee prisoners at Ander- 
 sonville, Ga. Our diet from July, 1864, to the date of our release, 
 June the 10th, 1865, consisted of one-half pound of flour, of equal 
 parts of beans and flour, and one-half pound of salt pork or beef 
 per day. At dinner we received a pint of corn soup. The 
 suffering among our soldiers for lack of proper diet w r as most 
 severe. Many died for lack of nourishment, and thousands died 
 from chronic diarrhoea, brought on from lack of proper nourish 
 ment. 
 
 Blankets and clothes were scarce and the supply, other than 
 that which we had when captured, consisted of those which came 
 from dead comrades. The prisoners were buried naked. Our 
 water supply was hauled by boats from the Schuylkill River. 
 Very often this was scarce and much suffering was undergone for 
 lack of water. On several occasions we were compelled to resort 
 to salt water for drinking purposes. The prisoners carried on all 
 kinds of business in the prison. Some made finger rings and 
 breastpins out of gutta purcha, toothpicks and trinkets of 
 different kinds of old pieces of bone. I myself was engaged in 
 making crude jewelry, from the proceeds of which I was enabled 
 to purchase many luxuries, such as corn meal, coffee, sugar and 
 tobacco. We found ready sale for such stuff, principally among 
 sympathizers on the outside. We would send them out by pris 
 oners to sell, w r ho would be detailed to help unload vessels and 
 clean up officers quarters at the fort. I myself fared very well 
 while here, as I had several friends in the Yankee lines, who cor 
 responded with me and sent me remittances under the guise of 
 relationship, as we were not allowed to carry on a correspondence 
 with any other than a relative. There was a Mrs. Hill, of Phila 
 delphia, originally of Edgefield, S. C., who used to send clothes 
 to the South Carolina prisoners; yet these were nothing like 
 enough to go around, although they prevented much suffering. 
 One of the most amusing incidents of my prison life was watching 
 soldiers take rats from a pair of ferrets owned by an officer in the 
 fort, who would bring them into the fort, where we were impris- 
 
128 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 oned, to catch the wharf rats that had burrowed under the wall 
 and into the enclosure. 
 
 Brent, Carroll and myself all survived the prison life. Carroll 
 is now living in Greensboro, N. C. The last I khew of Brent he 
 was living in Atlanta. 
 
 JOHN H. PIERCE. 
 
 Nearly all of our dentists went to the army to plug Yankees, 
 and perhaps to be filled with lead by the Yanks. We give a 
 Confederate cure for toothache: Take equal quantities of alum 
 and common salt, pulverize and mix and apply to the hollow 
 tooth on a piece of wet cotton. The remedy is very simple, cheap 
 and within the reach of all. If any will try it it will be found 
 infallible. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 129 
 
 THE MURDER OF BILLY DULIN 
 
 Early in the spring of 1863 at Warrenton, Va., a body of our 
 scouts were charged by Colonel (afterwards general) Farns- 
 worth of the Eighth Illinois Cavalry. A young scout by name 
 Billy Dulin, only sixteen years old, was caught under his 
 wounded horse, and in this helpless condition surrendered. 
 Colonel Farnsworth shot the lad dead which was then and is 
 now murder to kill prisoners. On the 29th June, 1863, this same 
 Colonel Farnsworth was promoted to the rank of brigadier- 
 general, and had assigned to him three regiments of cavalry the 
 First Virginia, Eighteenth Pennsylvania and the Fifth New 
 York. 
 
 At Gettysburg on the 3rd day of July, 1863, at 4 P. M., General 
 Kilpatrick ordered Farnsworth, with his new brigade, to charge, 
 but he hesitated. Kilpatrick ordered him a second time, which 
 naturally nettled the high-strung brigadier, and he said, "I will 
 lead a charge as quick as you or any other man." He dreaded to 
 meet Hampton s Brigade and Bachman s Battery, but there was 
 the order and it had to be obeyed. The charge was made and his 
 brigade was, of course, cut to pieces. Farnsworth was wounded 
 and left by his men on the field. Did he think that young 
 Dulin s friends were by Hampton s side? We know not. Did 
 he think if he surrendered that he would suffer young Dulin s 
 fate? We know not. But we do know that he deliberately took 
 his own pistol and blew his brains out, before Hampton s men 
 could stay his hand. Was this remorse or cowardice ? We know 
 not. He was a desperate fighter. How it must torture a high- 
 strung man to commit such a horrible deed as did Farnsworth 
 after killing this beardless youth Dulin. 
 
 ) B. C. 
 
130 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 JACK SHOOLBRED SELLS A YANKEE "NIGGER" 
 
 In the fall of 1864 the fearless scout Jack Shoolbred, while 
 scouting for Butler in rear of Grant s Army, captured a negro 
 soldier and brought him to General Butler, and when asked what 
 he proposed to do with him, said : "Well, General, I think I can 
 sell him to Dick Hogan." Captain Hogan gave him two nice 
 Yankee horses for the Yankee negro. Hogan sent the negro home 
 and put him in the cotton patch. Jack Shoolbred rode one of the 
 horses (a splendid clay bank) until the end of the war, and 
 brought him home. 
 
DICK HOGAN, CHIEF OF BUTLER S SCOUTS 
 
 On the night of 9th March, 18(55, Dick Hogan crawled on his stomach passed Yankee 
 provost guard and notified Jack McCarley and others, then prisoners, that Butler would 
 charge the camp next morning and to select horses and men that suited them best. 
 
132 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 THE BATTLE OF BRANDY STATION, VIRGINIA 
 
 (June 9th, 1863.) 
 By J. D. Hogan, a former Scout for General M. C. Butler, C. S. A. 
 
 On June the 9th, 1863, as the morning dawned and the sun 
 crept high up the blue sky a great commotion was in evidence, two 
 mighty armies along the banks of the Rappahannock were 
 manceuvering for the mastery of position. 
 
 General Lee had so adroitly handled his men that the Federal 
 commanders were in a state of confusion and positive alarm. 
 The Confederate cavalry fringed the south side of the river from 
 Kelly s Ford to Waterloo west of the Rappahannock bridge. 
 The Federal cavalry meantime had been massed north of the 
 river, a mighty force whose effort had been to locate General 
 R. E. Lee, for hitherto his movements had been enveloped in 
 mystery. But soon the rattle of small arms and the thunder of 
 artillery told the story at the different crossings along the river. 
 A powerful force was hurled against the Confederate cavalry at 
 "Waterloo" and "Jones s Crossing," forcing our left wing back 
 towards Brandy Station. The Federals meantime, with a force 
 of three thousand superb cavalry, crossed the river at Kelly s 
 Ford, sixteen miles from where the battle was raging, and by a 
 rapid march endeavored to reach our rear. General Butler was 
 ordered with a part of his command to meet them, and by a 
 dashing movement beat them to Stevensburg. Here the roads 
 forked one leading to Brandy Station, the other to Cul- 
 pepper Court House. Colonel Frank Hampton (a brother of 
 General Wade Hampton) and a most gallant officer, formed his 
 regiment, the Second South Carolina Cavalry, in front of Dag- 
 gett s house, on the Kelly s Ford road; and 250 yards from the 
 forks of the road the Fourth Virginia cavalry, under command 
 of Colonel Beal, was formed in the rear of a pine thicket on 
 Colonel Hampton s left and rear, and on the approach of the 
 overwhelming numbers, Colonel Hampton fell mortally wounded 
 in this desperate encounter. The Fourth Virginia Cavalry broke 
 and fled. General Butler, with that courage which had ever 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 133 
 
 marked his career, held his position until severely wounded by a 
 shell which, passing through his horse (a chestnut sorrel), shat 
 tered his leg and in its further course killed Captain Farley. 
 With five to one against him, this dashing officer secured an 
 advantage by driving the left wing of the enemy. The shock 
 was felt all along the line as hurriedly they crossed the Rappa- 
 hannock pursued by the victorious Confederates under Stuart, 
 Hampton, Fitz Hugh Lee and P. M. B. Young. 
 
 When in the course of coming events the true history of a 
 glorious South is written by men free from prejudice, from 
 malice, and from hatred, then will the name of M. C. Butler and 
 the heroes of the "Lost Cause" stand out in bold relief, and gen 
 erations yet unborn will point with pride to the names emblazoned 
 on monuments erected to the soldier-statesmen of the old South. 
 
 J. D. HOGAN. 
 
 Atkins, Arkansas, October 20th, 1908. 
 
134 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE TO THE PRIVATE SOLDIER 
 
 The Battle of Cowpens was fought 17th January, 1781. At 
 the unveiling of the statue of General Daniel Morgan, the hero 
 of Cowpens, on llth May, 1881, at Spartanburg, a salute of 
 thirteen guns were fired at sunrise by the Columbia Flying Artil 
 lery, Captain J. Q. Marshall, and the Spartanburg Light 
 Artillery, Captain T. B. Martin, ushered in the glories of this 
 memorable day, their thunder reverberating through the valleys 
 and shaking the foundation of this historic town. In his speech, 
 General Hampton on this occasion paid the following beautiful 
 tribute to the private soldier : 
 
 "It is one of the incidents of war, perhaps an unavoidable one, 
 that officers only are mentioned in the reports, while it is the hard 
 fate of the private soldier to live unknown to fame, or to die 
 for his country, even his name unrecorded in its annals. My 
 experience in active service impressed on me deeply the seeming 
 injustice of the discrimination against those who bear the heat 
 and burden of the fight. Under the tattered jacket of the private 
 may beat a heart as true as is covered by the braided coat of the 
 officer, and while the former has not the responsibility of the 
 latter, he has to bear far greater privations. No hope of glory 
 can inspire his conduct. A volunteer in the cause of his country, 
 he freely offers his life in her defence, looking for no reward save 
 that given by the consciousness of duty performed. All honor 
 to the private soldiers who volunteer in their country s cause. 
 Thousands of them, earnest and devoted, have found death on 
 many a battlefield and no record of their deeds is left ; but it may 
 be, when the Great Judge of the Universe summons all who have 
 died to answer to the last roll call, their names may be found 
 there in letters of living light." 
 
 The private soldiers of the Confederate Army, most of whom 
 were to be unknown to fame, were not without admiration for 
 their general officers. 
 
 If there ever were two generals admired and loved by their 
 men, these were Wade Hampton and M. C. Butler. In the 
 language of Mr. E. L. Wells : "Butler was always calm and cool 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 135 
 
 when in action, his handsome, clear-cut face showed no emotion 
 as he scanned the details of the battlefield." But for the over 
 whelming numbers, bravery and persistent courage of the Union 
 soldiers, there would have been no Appomattox for the glorious 
 Army of Northern Virginia under the matchless Lee. 
 
 "Ah, Muse, you dare not claim 
 
 A nobler man than he, 
 Nor nobler man hath less of blame, 
 Nor blameless man hath purer name, 
 Nor purer name hath grander fame, 
 
 Nor fame another Lee." 
 
 I would be unjust were I to doubt the courage of such men as 
 formed the Eighth Illinois, Third Indiana, the Fifth Ohio, the 
 First Maine and First Michigan and Eighteenth Pennsylvania 
 cavalry regiments, and others equally as brave, but too numerous 
 to mention. No generals were respected more by our cavalry on 
 the Yankee side than were Major-General W. S. Hancock and 
 Major-General Gregg. The good people who were in Columbia 
 on that dreadful night of the 17th February, 1865, will never 
 forget the hero of Sherman s Army w r ho belonged to the Fifteenth 
 Illinois Cavalry and who, at the risk of losing his own life, saved 
 so many houses from being destroyed by fire. He was captured 
 by the gallant Colonel Zimmerman Davis, of the Fifth South 
 Carolina Cavalry, on the afternoon of the 24th February, 1865, 
 in a charge, and will never forget the kind treatment received at 
 the hands of our cavalry. It was early in the morning of this very 
 day that Butler captured a wagon train just on the Kershaw side 
 of Lynch s River, and as soon as we crossed over the river the 
 Yankees tried to recapture it, but failed in the attempt. One of 
 Butler s bravest scouts, Jim Dulin, was severely wounded in the 
 thigh in this little fight, and it w T as with much regret that we had 
 to leave him in a small hut near the river on the Darlington side. 
 I am glad to say that he is now living at his old home near 
 Manassas, Va. 
 
 In the fall of 1862, General Hampton s splendid brigade of 
 cavalry, composed of the First North Carolina, Second South 
 Carolina, Cobbs s Georgia Legion, Philips s Georgia Legion, and 
 the Jeff Davis Legion, were camped in Culpepper County, Vir- 
 
136 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 ginia, where they were jointed by the First South Carolina 
 Cavalry. General Hampton sent Sergeant Bill Mikler, Prioleau 
 Henderson, Sergeant Shira, Huger Mikler, Barney Hennegan, 
 Newt. Fowles, Dick Hogan, Hugh Scott, Cecil Johnson, Jim 
 Dulin, John Willingham, Joe Beck, Jack Shoolbred, George 
 Crofton and Calhoun Sparks (all of whom belonged to Butler s 
 old regiment, the Second South Carolina Cavalry,) across the 
 Rappahannock River to scout in Prince William County, where 
 they were afterwards joined by Tom Butler, Wallace Miller, Joe 
 Twiggs and John Pierce. They were a magnificent body of men. 
 The Yankees called these boys the "Iron Scouts," because they 
 recovered so quickly after being wounded and seemed to be free 
 from capture. They killed and captured quite a number of the 
 enemy, and had many almost miraculous escapes and performed 
 gallant deeds long to be remembered by the good people of Prince 
 William County. They harassed the enemy by frequently charg 
 ing the reserve picket post and by ambuscading their scouting 
 parties. 
 
 On one of the scouting raids, Cecil Johnson, Tom Butler and 
 Wallace Miller charged a scouting party of the First Michigan 
 Cavalry near Bacon Race Church (the Union Army was then 
 camped at Wolf Run Shoals), and captured two Yanks and ran 
 the others back into their camp. Miller captured a horse and 
 hurried on to capture another, when his own fell and threw him 
 off. He got up as soon as possible^ grabbed for the bridle and then 
 the stirrup, but his horse went to the Yankees, leaving him afoot. 
 Tom Butler carried the prisoners back to our lines on the Rap 
 pahannock. That night Johnson and Miller made an attempt 
 to surround and capture four Yankees on picket, but changed 
 their minds when they counted thirty others at the same post. 
 The next morning they went out on the main road to Manassas, 
 expecting to meet a small scouting party, but much to their 
 surprise saw about sixty of the First Michigan looking for them. 
 One of their number, a Frenchman named Joe Keitzler, rode on 
 the edge of the woods to warn the others about the "bush 
 whackers," as they called our scouts. This Frenchman rode so 
 close to Miller and Johnson that they placed a pistol in his face 
 and told him in an undertone to dismount, which he promptly 
 did, and Johnson, losing sight of the great danger they were in, 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 137 
 
 mounted the beautiful horse and started off, but Miller made him 
 dismount at once and keep the horse and prisoner secluded behind 
 some bushes from the enemy. It was a bitter cold day, and the 
 men never thought to look for their comrade, the Frenchman, 
 who was a prisoner within twenty yards of them, as they rode by. 
 Miller kept the Frenchman and Johnson kept the horse and rode 
 him every day until he was killed leading a charge at least thirty 
 feet ahead of the column at the Battle of Upperville. * * * 
 
 "Brave as the bravest he inarched away 
 Triumphant waived our flag that day 
 He fell in front of it." * * * 
 
 Tom Butler was killed in the charge on the 3d day of July, 
 1863, at Gettysburg. 
 
 "On the trampled breast of the battle plain 
 
 Where the foremost ranks had wrestled, 
 On his pale, pure face not a mark of pain 
 (His mother dreams they will meet again), 
 The fairest form amid all the slain, 
 
 Like a child asleep he nestled." 
 
138 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 THE "IRON SCOUTS" . 
 
 General Sherman said that war is hell ! General Forrest said 
 war meant to kill! The former used what the devil keeps his 
 dominions running with fire. The latter killed because that was 
 his definition of war. 
 
 When either side gained a victory that merely meant that one 
 side had killed more than the other. A lady asked Wellington 
 to describe a victory, and he said : "Why, madam, a victory is the 
 next thing to a defeat." General Grant knew what war was, and 
 said : "Let us have peace," having lost 13,000 men in less than 
 one hour, 3rd June, 1864, at Cold Harbor. A war like the War 
 of Secession reminds us of a family quarrel it s hell and a heap 
 of it. As John McClinton said to Captain Bradley, in the winter 
 of 1861, while trying to walk the foot-log: "Fighting war is 
 mighty hard work and moreover is very dangerous, for I come 
 very near being killed when I fell in the creek just then." 
 
 In the latter part of 1860 the people lingered in the fancy that 
 there would be no war. Yet the whole country was agitated 
 with passion, the frown was already visible and it needed but 
 some Cadmus to throw the stone that would be the signal of 
 combat between the armed men sprung from the dragon s teeth. 
 May the good God save this great and glorious country from 
 another Civil War. Before the war General Bob Toombs, of 
 Georgia, and Daniel Webster were great friends. In 1862 at 
 Gainesville, Va., the heat of an August sun beat fiercely down 
 upon the long lines of glittering steel, melting away the fiercer 
 heat of war. General Toombs s brigade was driving the enemy 
 from the field. A wounded Yankee colonel shouted, "Bob, don t 
 you know me?" "Good God!" exclaimed the general, "it is 
 Fletcher Webster" Daniel Webster s son. In an instant Toombs 
 was leaning by the colonel s side. "And so we meet as enemies?" 
 said Webster. "Never," replied Toombs, "Daniel s son must 
 always be my friend." "My wound is mortal," said Webster, 
 sadly, "God bless you, old friend, for your kindness. War is a 
 bad thing." Weaker grew the dying man s pulse. He whispered 
 a message for his loved ones, and said, "Tell Bob I love him; 
 God bless him." 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 139 
 
 While Hampton s old brigade was still on the Rappahannock, 
 other scouts from Butler s old regiment were sent to Stafford 
 County to watch and report the movements of the enemy, under 
 Sergeant Woody Barnwell, Willie Haskell, John Bradley, Gus 
 Black, Lamar Stark, - - Logan, Sim Miller, Layton Lide and 
 Thornwell. 
 
 The Yankees made it so hot for these gallant boys that they 
 had to go up into Prince William County and join Mikler s squad, 
 where they did some fine work. 
 
 In December, 1862, the Yankees sent out a large scouting party 
 of fifty men under Captain McDonald to kill or capture the "Iron 
 Scouts," or drive them out of Prince William County. 
 
 Bill Mikler had exactly seventeen men at the time, and bush 
 whacked them with thirteen of that number, leaving four 
 mounted to ride down what he failed to kill and cripple. This 
 was done as the Yankees were returning to their camp, having 
 failed to locate the "Iron Scouts" until it suited them to be 
 located. 
 
 The gallant Calhoun Sparks was shot through the body and 
 went out into the woods to lie down, when a Yankee tried to kill 
 him. He at once drew r his pistol while on the ground, and cap 
 tured the man in blue. Hearing the firing, Miss Sallie Brawner 
 ran out and soon had Sparks s head in her lap and did all in her 
 po\ver to alleviate his suffering, while the Yankee stood patiently 
 awaiting the pleasure of the "Iron Scouts" to send him to Libby 
 prison. That much-beloved surgeon, Dr. B. W. Taylor, hearing 
 of Sparks s terrible wound, took an ambulance into the enemy s 
 lines and brought him safely out into Culpepper County, where 
 he soon recovered. Doctor Taylor gave no thought to danger; 
 where the wounded were there he was. 
 
 How unlike a certain doctor was at Gettysburg! He left the 
 wounded to go in a charge and was captured. He rode in haste 
 and had ample time to find himself well seated on the stool of 
 repentance in the long winter nights in the cheerless prison cell, 
 with little to eat arid less to cover with. 
 
 In January, 1863, Barney Hennegan was at the house of Mr. 
 James Howerson, in Prince William County. Not knowing he 
 was there on a visit to Miss Emma, two w ell- dressed Yankee 
 officers rode up and hitched their horses, expecting to get some- 
 
140 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 thing good to eat. Mr. Hennegan, as Miss Emma called him, met 
 them at the door with a six-shooter in each hand and captured 
 both, after shooting the one who ran, thus adding two more 
 horses to the supply train of the "Iron Scouts," and swelling the 
 population at Libby prison by two. 
 
 At the home of Mr. John Cooper, in this same county, Prioleau 
 Henderson was surrounded and he knew full well if caught 
 there would be one less of the "Iron Scouts" at roll call the next 
 day. Miss Sophy advised him to be quick and get between the 
 feather bed and mattress in her room, and he was not slow in 
 taking the good lady s advice. When the enemy had searched 
 every hole and corner down stairs, and when they reached her 
 room she coolly said: "You may look where you please, but you 
 will find no Iron Scout here." The captain, after talking awhile, 
 sat on the side of the bed, but never thought to raise the bedding. 
 Prioleau was almost suffocated, but held the fort (the bed) until 
 they had gone. 
 
 There was a reward offered for Bill Mikler, and one day, 
 shortly after Henderson s narrow escape, at the very same house 
 Mikler was almost smothered by the same process, when he got 
 between the bedding and one of the young ladies became suddenly 
 ill and had a hard fit, and by the time the Yanks reached the 
 room the sisters of the sick lady were praying and rubbing her, 
 at the same time imploring the captain of the Yanks to please let 
 their poor sick sister die .in peace, which they reluctantly did 
 and left the place disgusted w T ith themselves for having allow r ed 
 the notorious scout to get away. There is deception in war as 
 well as in peace. 
 
 In the spring of 1864 the gallant Colonel Thomas J. Lipscomb 
 was ordered to the coast of South Carolina with the Second South 
 Carolina Cavalry, where Bill Mikler put in some mighty good 
 work. After Sherman s march, in 1865, there was a negro captain 
 of a company, named Judson Polite, who was a menace and a 
 terror to the good people of that section, and had sworn to kill 
 Bill Mikler on sight. One day Mikler was riding along when 
 Captain Judson Polite stepped from behind a tree, gun in hand, 
 and much to Bill s surprise said: "Damn you, I have got you 
 now." Bill Mikler said: "Yes, I am your prisoner." Judson 
 kept his gun right on him, and told him how he intended to 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 141 
 
 torture him. Bill said: "You know, captain, when you catch a 
 prisoner, you have to make him put his gun down." The negro 
 said: "Dat s so!" Instantly Bill fired and Captain Judson 
 Polite s brains were spattered all over the tree. The people in 
 that section were never molested after that. 
 
 When the war was over Bill, like Othello with his occupation 
 gone, lived quietly, beloved and respected by all the community. 
 He had fine sport killing wild game. He was a perfect Nimrod. 
 Several years ago he crossed the river. Peace to his ashes ! 
 
 WALLACE MILLER (OF THE SIXTIES) 
 
 WALLACE MILLER (iN 1900) 
 
 On the night of the 26th of May, 1864, Jim Guffin, Bernard 
 King, Walker Russell and Wallace Miller were watching Grant s 
 Army while he was struggling with Lee on the North Anna River. 
 Guffin was sent off with information, and the other three, having 
 had no sleep in forty-eight hours, retired to Mr. Redd s house 
 and threw themselves down on the floor in a shed room, and were 
 soon asleep. Grant that very night withdrew the last two army 
 corps across the river to keep Lee from using them up the 
 next day, and advanced his pickets in double force, and by 
 this arrangement about fifty men in blue were stationed 
 that night at Mr. Redd s house, where our scouts were calmly 
 
142 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 sleeping. Fortunately they had locked the door. Walker Russell 
 heard them and whispered to Miller, "The Yankees are here. " 
 Miller said, "Go to sleep; impossible to get a^vay now." Just 
 before day Mrs. Redd had them (the Yankee pickets) out in the 
 yard eating, while Mr. Redd warned the scouts to leave, which 
 they did, after killing one of the pickets who insisted on having 
 from them what they did not have the countersign. Our scouts 
 were soon in the tall timber, where the men in blue would not 
 venture except in large numbers. 
 
 Dignified Bernard King captured a splendid, dark-brown, 
 blaze-faced, white- footed, glass-eyed horse with no more hair 
 on his tail than the writer of this sketch has on his head though 
 he was very tough and active. The scouts called him the "Fall 
 colt." Wallace Miller one day saw King riding the "Fall colt," 
 and as quick as thought slipped on a Yankee overcoat and 
 charged him. The "Fall colt," being full of life, almost threw 
 King, who had drawn his pistol and was ready to shoot, when 
 Miller made himself known to him by asking, "How s the Fall 
 colt?" King said: "Look here, Miller, if you ever do that again 
 I will surely kill you. Just suppose this fine animal had thrown 
 me and gone back to the enemy, leaving me afoot in their lines. 
 Now, be cautious, Wallace." 
 
 King captured the horse on the night of the 12th of June, 1864, 
 after Hampton and Butler had routed Sheridan and his cavalry 
 at Trevillian, Va. When Sheridan got back behind Grant s lines 
 he said : "I have met Butler and his cavalry, and I hope to God 
 I will never meet them again," and he never did. 
 
 What a picnic our scouts had when the Yankee cavalry were 
 routed, gathering horses and information. It is as hard for me to 
 write about the scouts and not mention their horses as it is to 
 drive a nail with a hammer with no handle to it. Bernard King 
 rode the "Fall colt" until the end of the war. He could not return 
 to his home in Washington, D. C., because there was a hot time 
 in the old town when Lee s army was leaving Appomattox for 
 their desecrated homes. My old friend and schoolmate, Hannie 
 Mimms, brought King and the "Fall colt" home with him to 
 Edgefield, S. C., where this chivalrous gentleman and gallant 
 scout spent some time at the hospitable home of Dr. Mimms. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 143 
 
 He selected Charleston as his adopted home, where he did 
 excellent work in 1876 making speeches, etc. About the year 
 1878 this brave and good man joined the great majority. May his 
 soul rest in peace is the prayer of one who knew him well. 
 
 Sleep on, my friend, tried and true, 
 
 "The banner you loved is furled, 
 And the gray is faded, too ; 
 
 But in all the colors that deck the world 
 Your gray blends not with blue." 
 
144 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 CAPTURE OF GENERAL NEAL DOW 
 
 On Monday morning at four o clock, 24th May, 1863, the Battle 
 of Port Hudson, La., was fought. General Neal Dow says : "In 
 places our dead and wounded on the field were so close that their 
 bodies touched." He was himself wounded in the left arm and 
 in the leg, and was stopping at the house of Mrs. Gage to 
 recuperate. He goes on to say : "Time wore away until my cap 
 ture by a squad of Confederate Cavalry on the evening of the 30th 
 of June, 1863." How it came about may, perhaps, be best told as 
 related by one of the party by whom the capture was effected. 
 Extract from statement of John G. B. Simms : "I, with a squad 
 of three men, was scouting in the rear of Port Hudson. A lady, 
 Mrs. Brown, came out of the Federal lines and informed me that 
 General Dow had been wounded some six weeks and was then at 
 the residence of a Mrs. Gage. The squad organized, consisting of 
 John McKeowen, a lieutenant at home on furlough from the 
 Virginia army; John R. Petty, Wilson Medeasis, myself, Young 
 Haynes and a fellow we called Tex, he having the letters on 
 the front of his white hat. McKeowen was agreed upon as com 
 mander for the occasion. Following directions, we captured two 
 orderlies of General Dow, who were lying on the gallery. We 
 were told that General Dow was at the house of a neighbor. 
 Leaving this house we mounted our horses, and looking to the 
 left in the shade of a tree sat a man, clad in white, on horseback. 
 John Petty and I drew our revolvers, galloped up to him, and 
 asked him if that was Gen eral Dow, and he replied, Yes, sir. 
 Surrender or I ll kill you, came quickly from us both. He 
 hesitated a moment in seeming surprise, then answered, I ll sur 
 render, sir; I ll go with you. We galloped off with the three 
 prisoners and traveled all night in a gallop for several hours." 
 After the war the scout (Simms) returned one of General Dow s 
 pistols to him in Portland, Maine. 
 
 On the 12th of October, 1863, General Dow arrived at Libby 
 Prison, in Richmond. Shortly after this General John H. Mor 
 gan called on General Dow. The next day the Richmond 
 Enquirer had the following account of the interview : 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-18G5. 145 
 
 "General Morgan, on arriving upstairs where the prisoners 
 most do congregate, was immediately conducted into the presence 
 of the author of the Maine Liquor Law, the whilom Brigadier- 
 General Dow. An introduction took place, when General Morgan 
 observed, with one of those inimitable smiles for which he is so 
 noted, General Dow, I am very happy to see you here, or, rather, 
 I should say since you are here I am happy to see you looking so 
 well. Dow s natural astuteness and Yankee ingenuity came to 
 his aid, and he quickly replied, without apparent embarrassment: 
 General Morgan, I congratulate you on your escape; I cannot 
 say that I am glad that you did escape, but since you did I am 
 pleased to see you here. The conversation then became general 
 between the two, during the progress of which Dow admitted 
 that his views of the South, its people and their treatment of 
 prisoners of war had undergone a material change for the better 
 in the last few months." 
 
 At Greenville, Tennessee, on the 4th day of September, 1864, 
 General John H. Morgan was foully murdered by one Andrew 
 Campbell, of the Thirteenth United States (Tennesseee) Cavalry, 
 having been betrayed by a woman. While talking to the colonel 
 of the said regiment he was shot as he exclaimed, "My God, don t 
 kill me, I am a prisoner." The murderer then tied a rope around 
 the dead body of this gallant soldier and dragged it through the 
 streets of the town, crying as he rode, "Here is your d d horse 
 thief." 
 
 From a letter bearing date 12th November, 1863, written by 
 General Dow at Libby Prison, I make the following extract : 
 
 "I send you a price current today by which you will see the 
 enormous prices, due partly to scarcity and partly to extreme 
 depreciation of rebel money. The Confeds cannot feed the 
 prisoners except just so far as to keep them alive. The ration 
 for officers is a piece of corn-cake (unsifted meal) six by four and 
 one-half inches, and one inch thick, and one small sweet potato 
 and water. That is everything for a day. But the officers spend 
 daily over one thousand dollars Confederate money. Potatoes 
 cost fifty dollars a bushel, sugar five dollars a pound, candles 
 (tallow) one dollar each. We have no meat of any kind. We did 
 have a little two or three days ago, now it cannot be had. When 
 I first came here we received for greenbacks two for one, now 
 
 10 B. C. 
 
146 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 the authorities give seven for one. In the streets I suppose the 
 rate is ten for one. At Mobile a soldier told me he went to buy 
 a cotton shirt. The price was twenty-two dollass in Confederate 
 money, a pair of six-dollar boots one hundred and twenty-five 
 dollars ; shoes, thirty to forty dollars." General Dow says that a 
 Roman Catholic Bishop, the Right Reverend John McGill, often 
 visited Libby Prison. "I have rarely, if ever, seen a man whose 
 appearance impressed me more, if so much. There is prominent 
 in his presence a charming air of dignity, gentleness, intelligence 
 and high culture, intellectural and moral, and every movement 
 is full of grace and unaffected ease." General Dow was not a 
 Catholic, but of the Quaker persuasion. General Dow further 
 writes : "Not long prior to my arrival at Libby, all the captains 
 of the prison had been mustered to draw lots to decide which two 
 among them should be executed in retaliation for the hanging, by 
 our authorities, of two Confederate captains caught within our 
 lines under circumstances subjecting them, under military law, to 
 the penalty they suffered. It resulted in the selection of two cap 
 tains in Libby, Captains Sawyer and Flynn. Promptly our 
 authorities selected General Fitzhugh Lee and a Captain Winder 
 from the Confederate officers in their hands as hostages for the 
 doomed Union captains, rightly surmising that the influential 
 connection of those officers in the Confederacy would prevent the 
 threatened execution of the Union captains who had drawn their 
 death warrants in the dreadful lottery in which they had been 
 compelled to take tickets." "Under date of 28th January, 1864, 
 I wrote my son as follows : I have reason to believe that if the 
 government will propose to exchange General Lee for myself, 
 the only Federal general here, and equivalent officers for Captains 
 Sawyer and Flynn, who were selected by lot for execution in 
 retaliation for the execution by Burnside of two officers alleged 
 to be recruiting within our lines in Kentucky for the Confederate 
 service, the proposition will be favorably entertained and the 
 exchange effected. General Lee was captured at a private house, 
 sick, as I was at a private house wounded. : 
 
 General W. H. F. Lee was captured, and not General Fitzhugh 
 as General Dow says, and was exchanged for the latter on the 
 14th March, 1864, after General Dow had been eight months and 
 fourteen days in captivity. Captains Sawyer and Flynn were 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 147 
 
 exchanged the same day. General Lee was the most influentially 
 connected of any Confederate officer then in the hands of the 
 North, while General Dow was the only Northern officer of equal 
 rank held by the South. General Dow writes about how hard it 
 was for the "Confeds" to feed prisoners. I really believe they had 
 about as much to eat as our men got. I remember well that 
 Butler s Division had literally nothing to eat from Friday after 
 noon, the 10th June, to Monday afternoon, 13th June, 1864 the 
 excitement of fighting on the llth and 12th kept us up. The 
 Yankee prisoners were fed regularly and had nothing to do, while 
 we were constantly on the go, sometimes with a little piece of 
 meat and bread and plenty of the lead. 
 
 When the son of General R. E. Lee was captured General 
 W. H. F. Lee Captain Stringfellow, the chief of General R. E. 
 Lee s scouts, committed one of the most daring deeds of the war. 
 He took eight or ten volunteer scouts and evaded the Yankee 
 pickets and rode right up to the headquarters of General Craw 
 ford, who was absent. They then turned their horses and began 
 to shoot into the tents of the sleeping Yankee division, as they 
 dashed through. Not one of his scouts got a scratch and made 
 good their escape. One of these volunteers was a cross-eyed man 
 named Bolic and belonged to Captain Angus Brown s company 
 of the First South Carolina Cavalry. Poor Bolic was bush 
 whacked by the Yankees and killed a short time after this daring 
 deed, riding by the side of Isaac Curtis, one of the most noted of 
 General Lee s scouts. Captain Stringfellow made this desperate 
 effort in order to capture a Yankee general that he might be 
 exchanged for General W. H. F. Lee, little thinking that his 
 brother scouts in Louisiana had gone into the Yankee lines and 
 captured General Dow, for whom General Lee was exchanged as 
 above stated. It is hard to place the proper estimate upon the 
 great work that the scouts accomplished for the Confederate gov 
 ernment. They kept General Lee better posted as to the move 
 ments of the Yankee army than a great many of the Union 
 generals knew themselves. These wonderful men would go into 
 Washington and anywhere in the enemy s lines whenever it suited 
 their purpose to do so. Captain Stringfellow is now an Episcopal 
 clergyman. He, like the other scouts, did his duty as he saw it. 
 The remarkable courage displayed by the brave men in both 
 
148 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 armies, of the North and the South, was certainly a high tribute 
 to American valor. 
 
 When we think of such men as Stringfellow, Burke, Shad- 
 bourne, Hogan, Miller, Shoolbred, Scott, King, Dulin, Bob 
 Shiver and others keeping our generals so well posted as to the 
 movements of the enemy, no wonder we were able to fight the 
 world as we did. 
 
 There was a brave boy in Company D, Fifth South Carolina 
 Cavalry, Butler s old brigade, whose name was Oscar John Daly 
 Reid. He was "only a private." This brave boy was at different 
 times complimented on the battlefield by Generals Butler, Hamp 
 ton and Wheeler. General Butler said that Oscar Reid was not 
 only one of the bravest men he ever knew, but was one of the 
 handsomest. General Hampton, who had witnessed some of this 
 brave boy s gallant deeds, said to him one day : "Reid, you ought 
 to be a commissioned officer." General Wheeler said, "Oscar Reid 
 is too brave; rashly brave." What a tribute to one so young and 
 so handsome, only twenty years old when killed leading a charge 
 in the last battle that Butler and his cavalry were in at Benton- 
 ville, N. C., on the 19th March, 1865. 
 
 May his soul rest in peace. 
 
 "Out of the shadows of sadness, 
 Into the sunshine of gladness, 
 
 Into the light of the blest ; 
 Out of a land very dreary, 
 Out of the world very weary, 
 
 Into the rapture of rest." 
 
BTJTLER AND His CAVALRT, 1861-1865. 149 
 
 BATTLE OF BRANDY STATION, JUNE 9, 1863 
 
 Graphic Description by General M. C. Butler Deaths of 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Frank Hampton and Captain 
 
 W. D. Farley Serious Wounding of General 
 
 Butler Loss of His Leg 
 
 t 
 
 Editor Laurensville Herald : 
 
 I feel that it would be good for me to hold up for a while in 
 my trespassing- upon your indulgence and the forbearance of 
 your good readers and let another and a more prominent actor 
 in the scenes, upon which I have been lightly touching, speak. 
 
 In my contribution of August the 9th, in speaking of the 
 death of Captain W. D. Farley, I quoted from Capers s South 
 Carolina Confederate Military History in describing his fall and 
 the wounding of General Butler. As I always do I put this extract 
 in quotation marks, which ran thus: "The artillery fire was 
 sweeping the hill, and the Federal squadrons were forming to 
 charge when the men offered to bear Farley off. Smiling with 
 grateful thanks, he told them to stand to their rifles, and to 
 carry Butler out of the fire. Then with expression of resigna 
 tion to his fate and devotion to his country, he expired on the 
 field." When this was published, an old comrade who takes a 
 deep interest in everything touching the story of the Confed 
 eracy, told me that Farley was, after his wounding, carried to a 
 house at or near Culpepper Court House, where he died and 
 was buried. We had always understood that he died at, or 
 near, the spot where he and General Butler both fell by the 
 same cannon shot. Always seeking accuracy in things pertain 
 ing to our war history, I wrote General Butler for the facts. 
 He has kindly answered me in a letter that is a valuable contri 
 bution to history and that I know will be read with deepest 
 interest by every lover of our history, and especially by a great 
 many still surviving in Laurens who followed the plume of 
 Butler. 
 
150 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 I have a second letter from General Butler in answer to my 
 request, in which he uses the following language in regard to 
 Captain Fare s death: "Farley must have been carried to a 
 farm house in the same neighborhood. You may well imagine 
 I was in no plight to know 7 much about what was going on 
 elsewhere. ^Vs there were about 8,000 of our cavalry and a 
 larger number of our friends, the enemy, under General Pleas- 
 anton, supported by a large contingent of infantry, you will 
 readily understand that the battlefield was an extensive one. 
 Farley died within the radius of action of the contending 
 forces." 
 
 So it will be seen that in all its main features, my account of 
 Farley s fall was correct. That while he did not die at the spot 
 where he fell, that he did die on the battlefield, practically. 
 
 O. G. T. 
 
 Edgefield, S. C., August 17th, 1907. 
 Mr. O. G. Thompson, Laurens, S. C. 
 
 My Dear Sir: Yours of the 13th inst. was received yester 
 day. You will find on pages 291 and 292 McClellan s "History 
 of Stuart s Campaigns," a very accurate account of Farley s 
 wound and death. 
 
 Early on the morning of June 9th, 1863, the enemy crossed 
 the Rappahannock on a reconnoisance in force Pleasanton s 
 Cavalry, supported by infantry, to ascertain if possible Gen 
 eral Lee s intentions. Longstreet s Corps was at and near Cul- 
 pepper Court House. Swell s Corps was at that time crossing 
 the mountains into the valley, the advance of that splendid 
 Army of Northern Virginia in its movement into Pennsyl 
 vania. A. P. Hill s Division was below toAvards Fredericks- 
 burg. The cavalry, commanded by Major-General Stuart, was 
 guarding the crossings of the Rappahannock. 
 
 On the 8th of June, 1863, the day before the Battle of 
 Brandy Station, General Lee reviewed the cavalry on the plain 
 between Culpepper and Brandy Station. There were deployed 
 in line five brigades: Hampton s (of which my regiment, the 
 Second South Carolina Cavalry, was a part), Fitz Lee s, 
 Wm. H. F. Lee s, Robertson s, and Jones s. It is estimated that 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1801-1805. 151 
 
 up to that time it was the largest body of horsemen ever 
 assembled at one place on the continent. There were also four 
 or five batteries of horse artillery parked in rear of the line of 
 cavalry. It was a grand picture. We broke into column of 
 companies from the right, Hampton s Brigade occupying the 
 right of the line, and passed in review at a walk in front of 
 General Lee, who evidently witnessed with pride and satisfac 
 tion this incomparable body of mounted men of his army. We 
 passed a second time at a trot, and after clearing the reviewing 
 officer charged by squadrons, rallied and reformed the line. 
 
 At the conclusion of the cavalry review all the batteries 
 opened with blank cartridges, and such a salvo was perhaps 
 never before heard on that plain. None of us understood the 
 meaning of it, until afterwards. General Lee s purpose was 
 to attract attention from EwelPs movement, and the next day 
 General Hooker sent over this strong reconnoisance to find out 
 what General Lee was after. He didn t find out the next day, 
 the 9th, for Ewell was still moving towards the Potomac, and 
 we drove back the reconnoitering party. Longstreet, A. P. 
 Hill and the cavalry then moved en route to Gettysburg. 
 
 Captain Willie Farley was a volunteer and on Stuart s staff. On 
 the morning of the 9th my regiment was camping about half 
 way between Brandy Station and Stevensburg. The horses had 
 been sent out to graze at daylight in near-by clover field. Very 
 soon afterwards we heard heavy firing at Rappahannock Bridge 
 and other crossings of the river. To return to camp and saddle 
 up and pack the wagons was the work of a very short time ; for 
 we knew that we had to get busy during the day. Just about 
 sunrise I received an order from General Hampton to move up 
 to Brandy Station, leaving my wagons parked in camp and 
 wait orders. You may imagine how large an area it required 
 to camp that body of cavalry. Stuart s headquarters were at 
 Fleetwood Hill, about a mile north of Brandy Station. Hamp 
 ton s were at a house, perhaps a mile in rear of my camp-. M^ 
 regiment was the extreme right of the encampments, except 
 Black s, the First South Carolina, was somewhat to my right 
 and rear. The other brigades were stretched off to the left of 
 and in front of Stuart s headquarters, all picketing the Rappa 
 hannock. I moved up to Brandy Station as directed, leaving 
 
152 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 my wagon-train in camp, with an officer and guard in charge of 
 it. We had scarcely dismounted, standing to horse/ at the 
 station, not long after sunrise, when a courier f^om the officer of 
 the guard, Wist Gary, of Company G, as I now remember, came 
 at full speed announcing that the enemy was at Stevensburg, on 
 the Richard s Ferry Road, leading to Culpepper, five miles, 
 perhaps, to right of where we were dismounted. Realizing that 
 there was nothing between my train and the point where the 
 enemy was reported to be, except a few videttes, and not having 
 time to communicate with either Hampton or Stuart, there was 
 nothing left for me to do but to move without orders as rapidly as 
 our horses could carry us and throw the regiment between the 
 enemy and the wagon train, and, if possible, check the advance 
 of the enemy on Culpepper Court House, meantime ordering the 
 train moved rapidly towards Culpepper. This separated my 
 regiment four or five miles from the other bodies of cavalry 
 engaged with the enemy in front of Brandy Station. When we 
 reached Stevensburg the enemy had retired down the road 
 towards Richard s Ferry. I had despatched Lieutenant- Colonel 
 Frank Hampton with a small advance guard, about twenty-five 
 men, to move rapidly ahead of the column and reconnoiter in 
 our front. He performed that duty with his usual promptness 
 and gallantry. He soon reported the enemy approaching in 
 force. I then directed him to halt his mounted troops in the 
 road while Major Thomas Lipscomb and 1 deployed the 
 remainder of the regiment in skirmish order along a wooded 
 ridge between Hampton s position in the road on our extreme 
 right and Handsborough s house, on our extreme left. While I 
 was in the woods about the centre of the regiment, which was 
 deployed on foot, with Hampton on the right wing and Lip 
 scomb on the left, Farley came to me from Stuart, informing 
 me the Fourth Virginia Cavalry, commanded by Colonel Wick- 
 ham, and one piece of artillery had been ordered to reenforce me. 
 Colonel Wickham halted in the main road some distance in rear 
 of where Colonel Hampton was stationed, and sent word to me 
 by Lieutenant-Colonel Wm. H. Payne of his regiment, he had 
 arrived to support me. I requested Colonel Payne to inform 
 Colonel Wickham of the disposition I had made of the few men 
 at my disposal and to say to him, as he reached me, I would 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 153 
 
 cheerfully take orders from him. Colonel Payne returned to 
 me on the ridge, saying Colonel Wickham preferred that I 
 should continue in command. I thereupon requested Colonel 
 Payne to ask Colonel Wickham to move up two squadrons of 
 his regiment prepared for mounted action to support Colonel 
 Hampton, and dismount two squadrons and deploy them on 
 Hampton s right, as that was the weakest point on our line; that 
 I had the left well protected by my regiment deployed along the 
 wooded ridge. Farley, in the meantime, remained with me. 
 This was the situation about eleven o clock in the morning of 
 the 9th, so far as my regiment Avas concerned. The other regi 
 ments of Hampton s Brigade and of the two Lee s, except Wick- 
 ham s, Robertson s and Jones s, were having it out with the 
 enemy several miles to my left. Gregg s Division of Pennsyl 
 vania Cavalry, supported by Ames Brigade of Infantry, were 
 moving up the Richard s Ferry Road to attack our position. 
 
 As usual, Gregg sent forward a strong line of mounted skir 
 mishers in the thick woods and made a vigorous attack. A 
 volley from our Enfields soon sent them back. They came a 
 second time and were repulsed. 
 
 Imagine my surprise when I learned from the right that a 
 regiment of the enemy s cavalry had charged Colonel Hampton s 
 handful of men and swept him out of the road. In the melee, 
 Colonel Hampton received a pistol ball in the pit of his stomach 
 and died that afternoon from the effects of it. 
 
 Colonel W^ickham not only did not move up his mounted and 
 dismounted squadrons to Colonel Hampton s support, but when 
 the enemy charged they took to their heels towards Culpepper 
 Court House. General Wigfall, who came to see me after I 
 was wounded, told me the Fourth Virginia had reported that 
 my regiment broke, ran over them, and they were obliged to 
 retire and stand not upon the order of their going. A most 
 remarkable statement. How twenty-eight or thirty men could 
 "run over" as large a regiment as the Fourth Virginia was, 
 mounted, it is difficult to understand. The remainder of my 
 regiment were engaged in a wooded ridge, dismounted, driving 
 back the enemy in their front. How they could manage to "run 
 over" a mounted regiment a quarter or half mile in their rear 
 "passeth all understanding." 
 
154 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 But to return to Farley. When the enemy advanced in splendid 
 order and opened a rapid fire with their repeating carbines, 
 Farley and I were the only two mounted on the line. He drew 
 his revolver, spurred his horse through our line and opened fire. 
 I, of course, ordered him back, as the exposure was quite enough 
 as we were. Of course, we had very much the advantage in 
 position on the crest of a wooded ridge with almost a plunging 
 fire at the enemy below. And now let me digress a moment, to 
 relate an incident, which had something of the ludicrous as well 
 as the tragic: Farley s and my station was near Company "G," 
 Lieutenant Hearst in command at that point. I had cautioned 
 Hearst not to fire too soon, as it was possible some of our men 
 might have got below in the progress of deploying in the thick 
 woods. When, however, we discovered the enemy making their 
 way through the bushes and opened fire, I gave the command, 
 "Commence firing" all along the line. I noticed a mounted 
 cavalryman in blue slide off of his horse (a gray horse) very 
 easily, and the horse trot back to his rear, and assumed he had 
 dismounted not more than fifty yards down the hill for the 
 purpose of getting the protection of a tree in his future efforts. 
 About that time a man wearing a "striped hat" turned to me and 
 said, "Colonel, I got that fellow." I replied by saying, "Got him, 
 the devil; he has dismounted to get you; load your gun." It 
 turned out to be Turner, of Company G, and he was right. He 
 had killed his man, who proved to be an officer. You will see the 
 relevance of this later on. 
 
 When I discovered that my right had been turned, and that my 
 regiment had "run over" the Fourth Virginia and left us exposed 
 to a flank movement from that direction, I determined to swing 
 my regiment back from the right, still dismounted, and cross 
 Mountain Run. This was successfully done and we took up 
 another line on the west side of the creek. Farley remained with 
 me during this movement, and was quite useful in aiding in its 
 orderly execution. The piece of artillery which had been sent to 
 me by General Stuart was posted at the most eligible position and 
 was carrying on quite an active duel with the artillery of the 
 enemy operating from the hill near Stevensburg. After our new 
 line was formed and the enemy making no very determined move 
 ment against it, we had a breathing spell. Farley was near me 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 155 
 
 in the road leading from Stevensburg to Brandy Station, not far 
 from the crossing of Mountain Run. We were very near, each 
 mounted, and had ceased to pay much attention to the artillery 
 duel, and were laughing and chatting over the incident of Turner, 
 the man with the "striped hat," having brought down his man in 
 a very cool, nonchalant manner, as I have related above. Our 
 horses were facing in opposite directions, mine nearest the enemy. 
 A twelve-pound shell from the enemy s gun on the hill (we had 
 evidently been located by a field glass), struck the ground about 
 thirty steps from our position in an open field, ricochetted and 
 passed through my right leg above the ankle, through Farley s 
 horse, and took off his right leg at the knee. My horse bounded 
 in the air and threw me, saddle and all, flat on my back in the 
 road, when the poor fellow moved off with his entrails hanging 
 out towards the clover field where he had been grazing in the 
 early morning, and died there, as I was afterwards informed. 
 Farley s horse dropped in the road, terribly lacerated, and Farley 
 fell with his head on his horse s side. As soon as we discovered 
 what the trouble was my first apprehension was we would bleed 
 to death before assistance could reach us. I therefore directed 
 Farley to get out his handkerchief and make a tourniquet by 
 binding around his leg above the wound. I got out my handker 
 chief, and we were doing our best in the tourniquet business when 
 Captain John Chestnut and Lieutenant John Rhett of my regi 
 ment came to our relief, soon followed by Doctors Watt Taylor 
 and Gregory, surgeon and assistant surgeon of the regiment. 
 
 Farley s horse was struggling in the last agonies and I was 
 afraid would injure him with his hoofs. I therefore requested 
 the gentlemen present to move him on the other side of the road, 
 and it was done. With that splendid chivalric nature in which 
 he much excelled he said, "Gentlemen, return to Colonel Butler s 
 assistance" (we were not more than fifteen or twenty feet apart), 
 "he requires your attention more than I do." His leg was taken 
 off as smoothly as if it had been cut with a saw right at the knee 
 joint. Mine was shattered above the ankle and dangled by the 
 skin and the cavalry boots that I wore. After its mission of 
 destruction had been thus completed, the shell dropped near 
 Farley s horse. 
 
156 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Dr. Gregory took charge of Farley, and as they were about to 
 remove him he asked permission to have his dismembered limb, 
 took it in his arms and embraced it with some atfection. He was 
 carried to the rear. 1 never saw him afterwards, but learned that 
 he died about the time my leg was being amputated. I was placed 
 in a blanket, with a man at each corner, and as they walked with 
 every possible care the grating of the bones was anything but 
 pleasant. After a time the ambulance, which had been employed 
 in other parts of the battlefield, arrived, and I was placed in that. 
 Before the ambulance reached us, however, I was placed in a 
 horse trough found in the camp that Black s regiment, the First 
 South Carolina, had left that morning. I was carried to Mrs. 
 Fitzhugh s farm house, and there the amputation was performed 
 about five o clock. We were shot about one o clock. I was told 
 that Farley was carried to a farm house, never recovered from the 
 shock of the shell, as very few men ever do, and died about the 
 time Dr. Taylor was practicing his skill on me. 
 
 Farley was splendidly mounted that day, on a horse he had 
 captured from a Yankee major a short time before. .He was 
 finely caparisoned, all of his accoutrements being the best, his 
 horse a deep bay. My poor horse that had carried me through 
 many close places and borne me on long and tedious marches was 
 a chestnut sorrel. His hind legs were crooked, showing great 
 propelling power, and was nick-named by the soldiers "Old Bench 
 Legs." 
 
 Farley \vas not only a splendid speciment of physical manhood, 
 as handsome as a picture, his seat and pose in the saddle being 
 perfect, but he was most genial and companionable. His courage 
 and gallantry was of the highest and best order. Young, hopeful, 
 dashing, brave, tireless in the performance of duty, it does seem 
 very hard that he should have been thus suddenly taken off. 
 
 I venture the opinion, however, that if he had been allowed to 
 choose the manner of his death, he would have selected it on the 
 field of battle in front of the enemy, dying in defense of his 
 country just as he met the grim messenger. (Can you tell me 
 where he was buried ? ) 
 
 I suspect in the length of this letter you have more than you 
 bargained for, but I feel it is due to pooi; Farley that the real 
 facts of his wound and death should be left of record. Not only 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 157 
 
 that, but the events which led up to it. This is my apology. 
 There are so many romances written and published about the war 
 that it is important to get the truth of history. The truth is 
 quite sufficient for the vindication of those of us who engaged 
 in it. 
 
 I intended to add to this a short sketch of Lieutenant- Colonel 
 Frank Hampton and Captain Eobin Jones, of the First South 
 Carolina Cavalry, both of whom were killed the same day as 
 Farley both the very highest type of the gentleman and soldier, 
 but I have extended this commmunication far beyond what I 
 intended when I took my pen to answer your letter. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 M. C. BUTLER. 
 
 NOTE After the noted cavalry review to which General Butler 
 refers, we rode w y ith the gallant young Farley from the reviewing 
 ground to the camp of the First South Carolina Regiment, of 
 which I w r as a member, and which was near Fleetwood Hill, Gen 
 eral Stuart s headquarters at the time. I was mounted on a fine 
 young chestnut bay, one of Kentucky s best bluegrass equine 
 products. Young Farley seemed to have special admiration for 
 the animal a good horse to a cavalryman being considered of 
 priceless valuation. So he inquired w-hether the horse had been 
 appraised as for every horse killed in action the government 
 paid its owner the appraised valuation, Confederate cavalry 
 horses being private property. Hence, he added : "If he has not 
 been appraised, you should have it done at once, because we re 
 sure to have a fight very soon" apparently more anxious about 
 my pecuniary interest than for his own personal safety. In a few 
 short hours he lay dead on the battlefield, or within its radius. 
 True to his prediction, the noted cavalry battle of Brandy Station 
 opened before sunrise the following morning, in which the chiv 
 alrous young hero lost his life; and my horse, about which he 
 seemed so anxious, was shot and killed under me about the same 
 time Farley received his mortal wound and General Butler was 
 seriously wounded, losing a leg the same shell inflicting both 
 wounds. 
 
158 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Young Farley was a native of this place, a son of the late Major 
 Wm. F. and Mrs. Phoebe Farley. We can add nothing to the 
 graceful and well-deserved tribute General Butlgr pays the long- 
 sleeping, valorous hero, William D. Farley. 
 
 In answer to General Butler s enquiry as to the place where 
 young Farley was buried, we are able to say that he was interred 
 at Culpepper Court House, Va., where his remains still rest, not 
 far from the spot where he was killed, and where lie a number 
 of other Confederates, whose graves are lovingly cared for by the 
 good ladies of that place-- -ED. L. HERALD. 
 
COLONEL T. J. LIPSCOMB 
 
160 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 COLONEL THOMAS J. LIPSCOMB 
 
 "Still o er these scenes my memory wakes 
 
 And fondly broods with miser care 
 Time but the impression deeper makes, 
 As streams their channels deeper wear." 
 
 The battle of Brandy Station was fought on the 9th day of 
 June, 1863. In this cavalry fight General Butler and Captain 
 Farley had each a leg shot off and their horses killed by the same 
 cannon ball. General Butler s horse was a splendid chestnut 
 sorrel named Benchlegs. After the cannon ball had passed 
 through his stomach he ran one mile and a half with his entrails 
 hanging out, back to camp. General Butler was then colonel of 
 one of the best cavalry regiments any war ever produced, the 
 Second South Carolina Cavalry. Frank Hampton was lieutenant- 
 colonel, and Thomas J. Lipscomb was major. Lieutenant- Colonel 
 Hampton was killed just before Colonel Butler was wounded. 
 Major Lipscomb rode up to have Colonel Butler and Captain 
 Farley moved back to the rear. Butler said in the coolest manner 
 possible: "Major Lipscomb, you will continue to fight and fall 
 back slowly towards Culpepper, and if you can save us from 
 capture do it." Butler was lying on a litter. Farley was in an 
 old horse trough and quietly reached out and took hold of his 
 dismembered leg and said, "Come, we will go together." And at 
 nine o clock that night the soul of this chivalrous young hero went 
 out into the great beyond. His remains rests under a beautiful 
 monument, among the people he loved, at Culpepper, Virginia. 
 Butler was soon in the saddle again as brigadier-general, and the 
 gallant Major Lipscomb was immediately promoted to colonel of 
 this brave old veteran regiment, and had the distinction to com 
 mand it during the remainder of the war. Captain Robin Cad- 
 wallader Jones, another young hero, gave up his life in this same 
 fight at Brandy Station. He was the uncle to our honored fellow- 
 townsmen General Wilie Jones and Captain Allen Jones, and 
 was the handsomest man in York County when the tocsin of war 
 was sounded in 1861. He helped Colonel Black raise the First 
 South Carolina Cavalry Regiment. While raising his company 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 161 
 
 he would give his notes for horses and turn them over to the 
 gallant boys who were not able to mount themselves. After the 
 Confederate sun sank behind the horizon at Appomattox, the 
 widow of this gallant hero paid every dollar that these numerous 
 notes called for, leaving her and their four orphan children almost 
 penniless. He lived in affluence before the war. More than 100 
 slaves and large tracts of land were his then. In leading the 
 charge his was the only horse in the company which could jump 
 the wide ditch, and there he was right in the midst of the enemy, 
 and fought to the death before his men could cross lower down 
 and rescue him. Thus ended the career of this typical American 
 soldier, one of the bravest of the brave. Here Stuart and Hamp 
 ton met Pleasanton and Gregg; here the great cavalry battle 
 occurred, and here the mouldering bones of many a cavalry hero 
 attest full w^ell how that field was fought and won. 
 
 On one occasion when Butler and his cavalry were in Maryland, 
 Tom Purdee, who was orderly to Colonel Frank Hampton and 
 retained as such by Colonel Lipscomb, rode up to Colonel Lips- 
 comb about dark and said, "Colonel, I am sorry, but this jar of 
 preserves was all that I could get for your supper," and just as 
 the men had unsaddled, some one said, "The Yankees are coming." 
 Colonel Lipscomb had the saddle-up call sounded and went to 
 fighting, contesting every foot of ground until it was too dark to 
 fight. The Yankees camped where Colonel Lipscomb had hid 
 the preserves. Just before dawn next morning Colonel Lipscomb 
 with his gallant boys, were riding over the men in blue and after 
 fighting all day resumed his old camp that night, when Tom 
 Purdee said, "I wish we had the preserves, but of course the 
 Yankees got the jar." They had nothing to eat, and the pre 
 serves had to be found, so Colonel Lipscomb looked under a bush 
 and there they were, and began to eat, after giving Doctor Taylor 
 and Chaplain Manning Brown some. When the jar was about 
 half emptied, Tom Purdee said, "Colonel, have you got a match ? 
 I want to light this piece of candle," and by the flickering light 
 they could see the largest kind of black ants hanging to each of 
 the preserved pears as they would take them up. Doctor Taylor 
 and Chaplain Brown immediately took ipecac. Tom Purdee said, 
 "Colonel, suppose we hold to what we have got," and were soon 
 
 11 B. c. 
 
162 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 asleep, while the doctor and the chaplain were wide awake, and 
 oh, so hungry. 
 
 In 1863 Captain McDonald, of the First Michigan Cavalry, 
 was sent out with a squad of men to do up the "Iron Scouts." 
 Dick Hogan, Bill Mikler, Jack Shoolbred, Newt. Fowles, Barney 
 Henegan, Calhoun Sparks, Cecil Johnson, Hugh Mikler, Prioleau 
 Henderson, Joe Beck, George Crafton and Jim Dulin were the 
 kind of men that Captain McDonald was sent after. Only three 
 or four of the above scouts met him. They saw him coming and 
 when it suited them they charged him, killing and capturing the 
 last one of them. Jack Shoolbred, having emptied one pistol, 
 threw it at the gallant Captain McDonald, striking him on the 
 head, and, he being stunned by the blow, Jack drew his other 
 pistol and shot him in the shoulder. McDonald said, "You have 
 wounded me, and I will surrender." Thus ended McDonald s 
 raids for a while at least. 
 
 In this same year, 1863, Dick Hogan established what he called 
 Libby Prison No. 2, away back in the thick pines, where, as Dick 
 said, wild Yankees did not go, in a secluded place in Stafford 
 County. He secured a two-story log house for this prison, for 
 the purpose of keeping prisoners until he had caught at least 
 twenty-five or thirty, which he would send under an escort back to 
 our lines. This was a very dangerous operation to perform. 
 Captain McDonald was recaptured by the Yankee cavalry while 
 he was being sent back to our lines. Hogan and Mikler would 
 scatter their men all over the country. One day Dick Hogan and 
 Wallace Miller stopped at a house about three miles from Libby 
 No. 2 when the lady ran out and said, "Mr. Hogan, there is a 
 Yankee at my table." Hog an said, "Miller, hold my horse," and 
 soon had the bluecoat securely locked up in Libby No. 2. 
 
 Brigadier-General Thos. L. Rosser and his Virginia brigade, 
 Brigadier- General P. M. B. Young and his Georgia brigade, 
 Brigadier-General John Dunovant and his South Carolina 
 brigade, formed Butler s division First Division Cavalry, Army 
 of Northern Virginia in 1864. Here is one of General Rosser s 
 reports, which gives a very good idea of the many disadvantages 
 that our cavalry labored under. General Rosser says: "I often 
 went into battle or on a raid with one-third of my men dis 
 mounted, and generally succeeded in mounting them from cap 
 tures." 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 163 
 
 Some horses were as good and kind as their masters were 
 to them, and had a real affection for their riders, while others 
 acted like devils, as the following shows: In the month of Jan 
 uary, 1865, General W. M. Gary s scouts did good work on the 
 Chickahominy. His brigade was composed of the Hampton 
 Legion, Colonel Robert Logan; the Seventh South Carolina 
 Cavalry, Colonel A. C. Haskell, and the Twenty-fourth Virginia 
 Cavalry, Colonel Wm. T. Robins. General Gary s scouts from the 
 Hampton Legion were under Sergeant Dave Dannelly, D. H. 
 Tompkins, Jim Day, George Dannerly, John DeVore, Bill 
 Lumpkin, Bill Carter, Joe Maroney and Ben Carson ; there were 
 others in the other two regiments just as good. 
 
 One day General Gary sent Captain Dabney of the Twenty- 
 fourth Virginia Cavalry, with his company, to drive in the 
 Yankee pickets. The scouts, of course, had to lead the charge. 
 So Dan Tompkins was selected to perform this thrilling task, 
 which he did handsomely as we will soon see. Being on a 
 splendid Yankee horse, as soon as the horse heard the Rebel yell 
 he became unruly and ran away with him. The nearer he 
 approached the vidette, stationed about two hundred yards this 
 side of the regular picket post, the more serene the vidette looked 
 to him. Dan thought his w r ild horse would soon have him shot and 
 captured, but as he rode up to the Yank he at once surrendered. 
 Dan said, "Why didn t you run?" And he replied, "I have been 
 trying to make this d d horse go ever since I heard you coming, 
 but not one foot would he budge." Dan took the prisoner and his 
 beautiful horse while Captain Dabney picked up a horse or two 
 at the picket post. This stubborn horse was a perfect beauty, and 
 when Dan got back to camp Bill Lumpkin fell in love, not with 
 the Yank, but the horse, and Dan let him have him, which he 
 petted and prized very highly indeed. A short time after this 
 General Gary sent Dannelly s scouts down to Harrison s Landing, 
 on the River James, where they picked up four Yanks on picket, 
 and in bringing them out on up the Chickahominy they stopped 
 at Mr. Gates s house to feed and eat breakfast, and just as they 
 had finished Mr. Gates said, "Here comes the Nigger Squadron" 
 (two companies) . The scouts only had time to mount their horses 
 bareback as they took them out of the stable. Lumpkin was 
 already in the lot petting his beautiful horse, and just as he made 
 
164 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 the spring to mount, the infernal horse jumped from under him, 
 and then and there he was murdered. The negroes and their 
 white officers followed the bareback riders to the woods, but 
 nothing could induce them to follow, as they had been bush 
 whacked several times before. They left in a hurry for fear 
 the scouts might return with others. Poor Lumpkin died fighting 
 like a man ; there was no use to ask for mercy. That evening our 
 scouts went back and got Lumpkin s remains and gave him as 
 decent a burial as they could under the circumstances. 
 
 "Do we weep for the heroes who died for us, 
 Who, living, were true and tried for us, 
 And dying sleep side by side for us, 
 The martyr-band 
 That hallowed our land 
 With the blood they shed in a tide for us?" 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 165 
 
 BUTLER S CAVALRY AT BRANDY STATION 
 
 On the morning of the 9th of June the atmosphere was in a 
 condition peculiarly favorable for the transmission of sound, and 
 the firing of the pickets at Beverly s Ford aroused Stuart s entire 
 command. At early dawn General Hampton rode in person to 
 Colonel Butler s camp, which was half way between Brandy 
 Station and Stevensburg, and directed him to mount his regi 
 ment, move one mile to Brandy Station, and there await orders. 
 In executing this order, Butler left Lieutenant W. W. Broughton, 
 officer of the guard, with fourteen men, in charge of the camp, 
 directing him to send two videttes about one mile to Stevensburg. 
 Butler had hardly reached Brandy Station when Lieutenant 
 Broughton reported that the enemy was advancing on the road 
 near Stevensburg and that the wagons of the regiment were in 
 danger. Knowing that there was no force of cavalry between 
 Stevensburg and Culpepper Court House, six miles away, where 
 lay General Lee with Longstreet s and Ewell s Corps, Butler did 
 not wait orders, but moved at once to meet the danger. He sent 
 forward, at a gallop, in advance of the regiment, Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Frank Hampton with twenty men, to observe and delay 
 the enemy until the regiment could reach the range of the hills 
 known as Hansborough s Mount, where Butler wished to contest 
 his advance. Colonel Hampton pursued the direct road to 
 Stevensburg, and meeting Lieutenant Broughton s party, learned 
 that a squadron of the enemy had advanced into the town and had 
 again retired. As Hampton s party, now numbering thirty-six 
 men, reached Stevensburg, he found this squadron drawn up in a 
 position of observation on the east side of the town. He imme 
 diately ordered a charge, which the enemy did not wait to receive 
 but retired in the direction of their main body. Colonel Butler 
 had, in the meantime, led his regiment on a by-road to the east of 
 Stevensburg, and reached the main road just in rear of this 
 retreating squadron, the pursuit of which was continued past 
 Doggett s house to the wide stretch of open field beyond, over 
 which the enemy was seen advancing in force. Judging that the 
 attack would be made from the open field north of the road, 
 
166 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Butler withdrew his regiment to the line of wooded hills already 
 described. It was necessary for him to occupy a line from Dog- 
 gett s house to Hansborough s, a distance of nearly a mile, and to 
 cover this line he had less than two hundred men. Leaving the 
 thirty-six men under Colonel Hampton to act mounted on the 
 road, Butler deployed the remainder of his regiment on foot 
 along the line on the north side of the road. Colonel Hampton 
 was ordered by Butler to charge anything which might assail him. 
 The position in which Butler awaited attack was well chosen. 
 The woods concealed the smallness of his numbers, and even on 
 the road the sloping ground prevented the enemy from discov 
 ering any but the leading files of Hampton s mounted detachment. 
 The enemy s advance was at first cautious, even timid. As Butler 
 had anticipated, the first attempt was to break the line of his 
 dismounted men on his left, and two such attacks were made; 
 but both were repulsed by the close fire of his Erifield rifles. The 
 enemy now turned his attention to Hampton s position, and pre 
 pared to carry it by a direct sabre charge in the road, supported by 
 squadrons on either flank. To meet this attack Colonel Hampton 
 dismounted nearly one-half of his men for protection of his 
 flanks, retaining but twenty to meet the enemy s mounted charge. 
 Between Hampton s position on the road and the nearest point 
 of the line of Butler s dismounted men was a considerable gap. 
 
 At this juncture Colonel Wickham arrived with the Fourth 
 Virginia Cavalry. He had been turned off from the direct road 
 to Stevensburg by Captain W. D. Farley, volunteer aide-de-camp 
 to General Stuart, and had been guided along the same obscure 
 road by which Butler had advanced. He now found himself on 
 the right of Butler s dismounted men, the head of his column 
 resting on the main road east of Stevensburg, just in rear of the 
 position held by Hampton s mounted detachment. The charge 
 in the direction of his march was most unfortunate, and was the 
 real cause of the stampede which ensued. Had Wickham moved 
 through Stevensburg, as he would have done had he not met 
 Captain Farley, his regiment would have been in position to meet 
 the enemy, whose advance might have been checked at the strong 
 line occupied by Butler. The circumstances in which Wickham 
 was placed were peculiar. His own regiment was in a position 
 where it was impossible for it to act, enclosed as it was in a thick 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 167 
 
 pine copse, on a narrow by-road, where even a column of fours 
 could scarcely move. It was, therefore, necessary to turn the 
 head of his column westward toward Stevensburg, and after thus 
 gaining the main road to wheel about by fours, placing his left 
 in front. Ignorant of the dispositions made by Butler and of the 
 events which had already occurred, Wickham naturally hesitated 
 to give orders either to Butler or Hampton until he could bring 
 his own regiment into action. 
 
 Major T. J. Lipscomb, commanding the Second South Caro 
 lina Cavalry after Colonel Butler was disabled and Colonel 
 Hampton was killed, in an appendix to his report dictated by 
 Colonel Butler, states that the command was turned over to 
 Colonel Wickham by Colonel Butler, and that it was suggested 
 that Colonel Hampton s position be strengthened by sharpshooters 
 on the right, and by a mounted force in the road. The communi 
 cation between Butler and Wickham was made through Lieu 
 tenant-Colonel AY. H. Payne of the Fourth Virginia. Very few 
 of Hampton s men continued on the road with the Fourth Vir 
 ginia. Most of them gave way to the left toward the line of the 
 dismounted men of their own regiment. Simultaneous with the 
 charge on the road, a squadron of the enemy had attacked the left 
 of Butler s line, which was held by Lieutenant Markert, but the 
 attack was readily repulsed, and Markert s line, still intact, offered 
 a good rallying point for Hampton s men. Adjutant Moore says 
 (now General James Moore) : "I was told that some of the men, 
 among whom was Lieutenant W. H. Waring, as soon as they got 
 out of the road, stopped and began firing into the enemy, nor did 
 they leave their position by the road until the head of the 
 charging column had gone so far beyond them as to render them 
 liable to be cut off and captured; that Lynch, of Company H, 
 knocked two dragoons off their horses with the butt of his rifle 
 before he was surrounded and captured; and I remember that 
 when I was engaged in rallying these men, Babb, of Company E, 
 brought me a prisoner whom he had captured after a hand-to- 
 hand fight; and I saw Fender, of Company H, who was badly 
 wounded before the charge, just afterwards on a fine horse, 
 having killed the Federal dragoon who rode him." 
 
 Colonel Hampton, while engaging one of the enemy with his 
 sabre, was shot through the body by another, and was mortally 
 
168 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 wounded. He succeeded in reaching the house of John S. Bar 
 hour, west of Stevensburg, where he died that night. 
 
 Major Lipscomb s report narrates the events .which now fol 
 lowed. He says : 
 
 "The enemy having gained possession of the road and passed 
 through Stevensburg on the road to Culpepper, the right of our 
 line fell back obliquely to the road leading from Stevensburg to 
 Brandy Station. They were rallied and formed by Colonel 
 Butler between Stevensburg and Norman s Mill, but the columns 
 of the enemy pouring out of the w^oods on his left, and threat 
 ening to gain his rear, compelled him to fall back beyond 
 Norman s Mill and take a new position on the hill near Beckham s 
 house. Colonel Butler ordered me to hold my position, and if 
 they pressed on the right to move in that direction. The firing 
 on the right gradually got to my rear, and I was in the act of 
 moving when Captain Farley, of General Stuart s staff, brought 
 to me a squadron of the Fourth Virginia Cavalry, with orders to 
 hold my position. I immediately put all the riflemen in position. 
 About half an hour afterwards I received orders from Colonel 
 Butler to retire with rapidity across Mountain Run. My line was 
 extended, and by the time the riflemen were mounted the right 
 and left of our line had both fallen back across Mountain Run. 
 Having sixteen dismounted men with me, I was obliged to retire 
 slowly to protect them. When I reached the open field I found a 
 column of the enemy on either flank, from three to four hundred 
 yards distant, and also moving to Mountain Run. Our artillery 
 fired two shots which fell near me, and which, I think, caused the 
 enemy to take me for one of their own columns, as they did not 
 fire on me until after I had crossed the Run." 
 
 Butler had now secured a good position covering the road to 
 Brandy Station and where he might expect soon to be reenforced 
 by the Fourth Virginia Cavalry. Moreover, he threatened the 
 enemy s flank should he advance towards Culpepper Court House. 
 The one gun which had followed Colonel Wickham from Brandy 
 Station was now available, and Butler proposed to make a stand. 
 But while in the road, side by side with Captain Farley, their 
 horses heads in opposite directions, a shell from the enemy struck 
 the ground near by, ricochetted, cut off Butler s right leg above 
 the ankle, passed through his horse, through Farley s horse, and 
 carried away Farley s leg at the knee. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 169 
 
 The Hon. John T. Rhett addresses his narrative, from which 
 I have already largely drawn, to the Hon. M. C. Butler ; and thus 
 describes a scene which for knightly courtesy and heroism cannot 
 be surpassed: 
 
 "After we crossed the stream the enemy placed a gun in posi 
 tion in full view of us all. While they were so doing you ordered 
 us to retire. As we were moving off I was turned in my saddle 
 looking backwards. I saw the artillerymen fire the gun, heard an 
 exclamation, and saw that the shot had taken effect in the small 
 group with you. Captain Chestnut and myself, with a few men, 
 hastened to the spot. We first went to you, sending some men to 
 aid Captain Farley. When we had placed you in a blanket, you 
 said to us, I wish that you two gentlemen, as you have placed me 
 in the hands of my own men, would go and take charge of Farley. 
 We went to Captain Farley, told him that you had sent us, took 
 him out of a blanket and placed him in an old flat trough. He 
 was very cool, in fact pleasant and smiling, though evidently in 
 great pain. Just as we were about to send him aw r ay, he called 
 me to him, pointing to the leg that had been cut off by the ball, 
 and which was lying near by, he asked me to bring it to him. I 
 did so. He took it, pressed it to his bosom as one would a child, 
 and said, smiling, ; It is an old friend, gentlemen, and I do not 
 wish to part from it. Chestnut and myself shook hands with 
 him, bidding him good-bye, and expressing the hope that we 
 should soon see him again. He said, Good-bye, gentlemen, and 
 forever. I know my condition and we will not meet again. 1 
 thank you for your kindness. It is a pleasure to me that I have 
 fallen into the hands of good Carolinians at my last moment. 
 Courteously, even smilingly, he nodded his head to us as the men 
 bore him away. He died within a few hours. I have never seen 
 a man whose demeanor, in the face of certain, painful, and quick 
 death, was so superb. I have never encountered anything so 
 brave from first to last."* 
 
 General Wade Hampton told me that but for the fact that the 
 "Fourth Virginia Cavalry, under the command of Colonel Wick- 
 ham, broke and ran, that his brother, Colonel Frank Hampton, 
 would not have been killed that day." 
 
 *The above is taken from the "Campaigns of Stuart s Cavalry," by H. B. 
 McClellan. 
 
170 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 When an officer gets nervous and excited, in other words scared, 
 his men generally fall into the same error and with a little 
 encouragement they leave in confusion. 9 
 
 The total Confederate loss in this fight was 523 officers and 
 enlisted men. We captured three pieces of artillery, six regi 
 mental and company flags and 486 prisoners. The Yankees lost 
 936 officers and enlisted men. The forces engaged on the Yankee 
 side, according to their general, Pleasanton, were 10,981 effective 
 men, twenty-four regiments of cavalry and two brigades of 
 infantry. On the Confederate side were 9,536 effective men, 
 fifteen cavalry regiments and no infantry. Both sides had their 
 own horse artillery. Take from this number of 9,536 Robertson s 
 brigade, which did not fire a gun, and could not from where he 
 was, and Fitz Lee s brigade did not take part in the fight until 
 late in the afternoon, save one regiment, the Fourth Virginia; 
 thus we can safely assume that not more than 7,500 effective men 
 took an active part in this great cavalry fight on our side. 
 
 After Doctor Taylor had amputated General Butle s leg on the 
 battlefield, and he had recovered from the effects of the anesthetic, 
 he asked Doctor Taylor if he had talked any during the opera 
 tion, and the good doctor said, "Yes, you strongly admonished 
 W. C. Swaffield to keep his little sorrel mare under better control 
 in line while drilling." Of course, the general remembered of 
 nothing what was said and his mind was only wandering in the 
 past. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 171 
 
 AFTERMATH OF BRANDY STATION 
 
 The Second South Carolina Cavalry went into the battle of 
 Brandy Station, June 9th, 1863, with 240 men. The next day 
 we reported for duty about 200 men under the command of Major 
 Thomas J. Lipscomb, Colonel Butler having lost a leg in that 
 battle, and Lieutenant- Colonel Frank Hampton having been 
 mortally wounded, dying at eight o clock that night. On the 13th 
 of June Captain J. P. McFie arrived with a detachment of 118 
 men who had been sent back to South Carolina to remount. This 
 brought the effective force of the regiment up to about 320 men. 
 I have before me in my note book a copy of my field return, made 
 just about three weeks afterwards, when we were going into the 
 battle of Gettysburg, which shows that of the 320 only 137 were 
 left to go into that battle. The difference represented the loss 
 of the regiment during the three weeks in skirmishes preceding 
 Upperville, the loss in that battle and the engagements following 
 that battle, at Warrenton, Va., Rockville, Md., Westminster, Pa., 
 Hanover, Pa., and at Hunterstown, Pa., at which last engage 
 ment, with Lee s army to our back, we fought to a late hour of the 
 night, on the 2nd of July, repelling an attack of the Federal 
 cavalry on the wagon train. At the close of the third day of 
 Gettysburg we had scarcely one hundred men in the saddle. I 
 have more than once heard General Hampton state that the loss 
 of the cavalry division of the Army of Northern Virginia was, 
 during the Gettysburg campaign, greater than that of any other 
 division of the army. The Second South Carolina Cavalry seems 
 to have borne its full share of the loss. 
 
 After we returned to Virginia we recruited up some by the 
 return to duty of wounded men, and men with disabled horses. 
 We carried into the second battle of Brandy Station (August 1, 
 1863,) 150 men. We lost in that battle thirty-seven men and fifty 
 horses. On that day, at the opening of the battle, Hampton s 
 Brigade was commanded by Colonel L. S. Baker, of the First 
 North Carolina, General Hampton being disabled by wounds 
 received at Gettysburg. Colonel Baker was wounded and the 
 command next devolved upon Colonel P. M. B. Young, of the 
 
172 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Cobb Legion. Colonel Young was wounded and Colonel Black 
 of the First South Carolina succeeded to the command. Colonel 
 Black was wounded and Colonel T. J. Lipscomb, of the Second 
 South Carolina, then took command. He was disabled and car 
 ried off the field, and Lieutenant- Colonel Kich, of the Phillips 
 Legion, took command of the brigade during the remainder of the 
 battle. 
 
 I recall these facts because there seems to be a general impres 
 sion that the losses of the cavalry were always small, and it was 
 comparatively a safe arm of the service. In this connection I will 
 mention the troop in which I went into service in 1861, in the 
 Hampton Legion; the Beaufort District troop. We came into 
 service with seventy-three men in 1861. In 1864, when they were 
 sent back to recruit, Lieutenant John C. Davant, in command, 
 marched eighteen men from the Grahamville depot to the old 
 club house on their parade ground. 
 
 FROM BRANDY STATION TO UPPERVILLE. 
 
 On the 17th June we moved from camp near Brandy Station, 
 and crossing the Rappahannock at Beverly Ford, passed through 
 Warrenton and camped not far from that town. The next day 
 an advance of the enemy was reported and we moved back 
 through Warrenton and were soon engaged with the Federal 
 cavalry. We fought in an incessantly falling rain until dark, 
 driving them back some distance. We fought until night, and 
 then in the pitch darkness, we wended our way back to the piece 
 of woods which sheltered us the night before, and went into 
 bivouac, where all night long we strove for comfort, between rail 
 fires and the continual rain. We did not get much comfort. 
 
 On the 19th we moved back through Warrenton and out on the 
 turnpike, leaving Thoroughfare Gap to our right, and reached 
 Rector s Cross Roads that evening. We learned that General 
 Stuart had been having a severe engagement with the enemy that 
 day, and that Major VonBorcke, his magnificent-looking Prus 
 sian staff officer, had been severely wounded. 
 
 On my last visit to Colonel Butler, after he lost his leg, and 
 just before we left camp near Brandy Station, he placed in my 
 charge all the papers relative to the application for his appoint 
 ment as brigadier-general. These papers had been sent on to 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 173 
 
 Kichmond, but somehow they had not been sent to General Stuart 
 for his approval. This approval was necessary, and Colonel 
 Butler, through his personal relations with Major Sam Melton, 
 who was assistant adjutant general of the Confederate States, had 
 obtained these papers from the files of the adjutant general s 
 office. Colonel Butler gave the papers to me and charged me to 
 take the greatest care of them, and to deliver them into the hands 
 of General Stuart himself, and nobody else. 
 
 I had been for more than a year acting in that close relation 
 ship with General Butler which results, or should result, always, 
 from the association of an adjutant with the colonel of his regi 
 ment. And in addition to the strong feelings of friendship for 
 him, I had an opportunity of witnessing again and again, not 
 only his dashing courage, but his quick and intuitive instinct as 
 to what was the best disposition of his troops as he went into 
 action, the weak point of the enemy, and where to attack. Added 
 to this was the wonderful magnetism of the man himself, which 
 seemed to give him complete control of his men, and to make them 
 follow unhesitatingly wherever he chose to lead. I doubt if there 
 is a man now of the old Second who does not recall the thrill that 
 went through him when Butler ordered "Charge!" and how he 
 felt ready to ride on, even into the "jaws of death, . when he 
 heard the order given. I felt the responsibility of being in charge 
 of these papers, and at every fight we went into this responsibility 
 seemed to grow heavier, as I thought of the danger of their loss. 
 So, as soon as we met General Stuart at Rector s Cross Roads, I 
 rode up to him and presented the papers, informing him of their 
 nature and delivering the message of Colonel Butler. He directed 
 me to hand them to Major McClellan, which I did, and drew a 
 long sigh of relief as the major placed them in the leather pouch 
 which he carried slung over his shoulder. 
 
 Night was now fast approaching, and with it came the rain 
 which lasted all night long. We had not seen the wagons so long 
 we had almost forgotten how they looked, and for days had no 
 rations except the green corn and apples we gathered, and our 
 horses had to depend entirely on grazing when they got a chance. 
 The morning of the 20th daAvned on a wet, bedraggled and 
 hungry set of men and horses, and still the rain kept pouring- 
 down. 
 
174 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 We were ordered out to relieve Robertson s Brigade, and soon 
 we were engaged in another fight with the enemy s cavalry in the 
 pouring rain. We held our ground and drove tkem back. Late 
 in the day I was directed by Major Lipscomb to go and select a 
 place to bivouac in. I picked out a grove on the Upperville Pike, 
 and there we settled down for the night. 
 
 With a premonition that there would be business on the mor 
 row, while grazing my horse I had cut a bundle of clover with 
 my hunting knife, thinking that my duties as adjutant might 
 prevent any chance of my horse grazing in the morning. This I 
 used as a bed, and drawing my revolver round to the front, but 
 toning up my overcoat and pulling my oilcloth over me, I went 
 supperless to bed. The oilcloth and overcoat kept me (and my 
 pistol, more important than myself,) tolerably dry above, but the 
 water crept up from below through the clover, and my back and 
 about one-half of my body was wet all night. Tired nature 
 asserted herself, however, and while I was aware of the discom 
 fort, I slept through it all. 
 
 UPPERVILLE. 
 
 The morning of 21st June came. The rain ceased, and the mists 
 disappeared before the rising sun of the beautiful Sabbath day. 
 Two squadrons were sent at once to the front under Captain Gary 
 and Captain Chestnut, and the rest of the regiment were ordered 
 to graze their horses. About nine o clock we were ordered to the 
 front and were soon engaged with the advancing enemy. The 
 fight began on the Upperville turnpike and about three miles 
 west of Middleburg, with the village of Upperville in the rear. 
 We had present only four regiments of Hampton s Brigade, the 
 First South Carolina and the Phillips Legion being absent. The 
 Second South Carolina Cavalry and the Cobb Legion were on the 
 north side of the pike, and under the command of Colonel 
 P. M. B. Young, of the Cobb Legion. The other two regiments 
 of Hampton s Brigade were on the south side of the pike, under 
 the command of Colonel L. S. Baker, of the First North Carolina. 
 The Jeff Davis Legion being next to us and the First North Caro 
 lina on the extreme right. 
 
 As the fight progressed I could see the enemy were moving 
 heavy bodies of infantry over to our right, evidently with the 
 
ALFRED ALDBICH 
 MAJOR T. B. FERGUSON 
 
 JAMES W. MOORE 
 JOHN C. CALHOUN 
 
176 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 intention of turning our right flank. I could distinguish the 
 infantry by the close order in which they marched, and the gleam 
 of their bayonets as they came into view, passing over a crest of 
 hill where the woods were sparse. As we afterwards learned, 
 this was Vincent s Brigade, over 1,500 strong, and largely out 
 numbering our entire brigade. In the meanwhile our brigade was 
 fighting in front of us the three brigades of Gregg s Calvary 
 Division. Far over to our left we could see the smoke of battle 
 and hear the roar of cannon where an attack was at the same 
 time being made on the brigades of Robertson, Jones and Wm. H. 
 Lee, the latter under the command of Colonel Chambliss, General 
 Lee having been severely w r ounded at Brandy Station. 
 
 These forces were holding the other road, and were engaged 
 with the three brigades of Buford s Division of Federal cavalry. 
 The two roads came together in our rear at or near Upperville. 
 It was apparent at once that even if we held our front, and the 
 forces of our right or left were driven back, we would have to 
 retire to save ourselves from capture. After fighting several 
 hours the Federal infantry succeeded in outflanking our right by 
 their overpowering numbers and that part of our line had to 
 retreat. The Jeff Davis Legion, next to us, was the last of the 
 line, on the other side of the pike, to fall back, and the right flank 
 of Colonel Young s two regiments was then left entirely unpro 
 tected. At this juncture the enemy in front of us came rushing 
 on with cheers ; but were met and checked by a steady fire of our 
 sharpshooters. One officer on a handsome gray horse was particu 
 larly conspicuous by his daring attempts to lead his men in a 
 charge up to our lines. He rode ahead of them and came within 
 seventy yards of us. Major Lipscomb ordered William F. Jack 
 son and Jacob Berg, of Company B, who were mounted and 
 acting as couriers for him, to fire on this officer. They both fired 
 at him, but he remained unhurt, although Jackson was a fine 
 rifle shot. His horse was, ho\vever, restive, and I suppose dis 
 turbed his aim. Berg asked Major Lipscomb to allow him to 
 dismount, saying, "I think I can get him then. Major." On 
 receiving permission, Berg sprang to the ground, and at the crack 
 of his rifle the officer on the gray horse wheeled and dashed in a 
 gallop to the rear of the dismounted Federal skirmishers. He was 
 evidently badly wounded, but managed for the time to keep his 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 177 
 
 saddle. The enemy now ceased cheering, but poured in a rapid 
 fire on us from their repeating Spencer rifles, to which our sharp 
 shooters replied by a steady fire from their old-fashioned muzzle- 
 loaders. Colonel Young ordered me to go to General Hampton 
 and say to him that all our troops on the other side of the pike 
 had retired, and he was left without any support, but was able 
 to hold his position as long as it might be necessary ; and ask what 
 orders he had for him. 
 
 I found General Hampton on a ridge in the rear overlooking 
 the battle. He was as calm and composed as if no battle was in 
 progress, and the only evidence of anxiety he showed was to ride 
 forward from his staff and inquire: "Well, Moore, what is it?" 
 I delivered Colonel Young s message, and he at once said : "Tell 
 Colonel Young to fall back to the next crest, I am going to make 
 a stand there." Just then a limber chest, of one of Hart s guns 
 blew up. His battery was in the rear of Colonel Young s two 
 regiments, and, under their protection, was pouring a heavy fire 
 into the enemy. As the limber chest exploded, dismounting the 
 gun, an immense cloud of smoke arose obscuring all for the 
 instant, and the next moment the four horses came galloping out, 
 hurrying to escape the scene of death behind them. General 
 Hampton quietly remarked : "Well, I am afraid Hart has lost a 
 gun this time." We retired in perfect order and took up a new 
 line of battle on the next crest ; but it was impossible to bring off 
 Hart s gun, so it had to be abandoned. It was one of two rifled 
 Blakeley guns bought by General Hampton in Europe and pre 
 sented to the battery by him, and was highly prized by the men. 
 
 After holding this crest for a time, evidently intending to make 
 only a temporary stand here, we fell back to a line which was 
 selected for our second position in the battle. The position we 
 retreated to ran along Goose Creek and we held it for several 
 hours ; but, being outflanked again, we had to retire. The enemy 
 had got a number of guns bearing on us, and their fire was very 
 severe. I recall seeing five horses of Hart s battery lying dead in 
 a pile. Among other men of our regiment, Salmon, of Company 
 K, received a ghastly wound, the entire side of his face being torn 
 away by a fragment of a shell. The withdrawal from the position 
 was not an easy matter, from the nature of the ground, being 
 rocky hills and covered with thick woods and exceedingly difficult 
 
 12 B. c. 
 
178 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 for horses to find a passage through. It was, however, accom 
 plished in good order, and we took up another position in a wide 
 open field about half a mile to the rear. Before Beaching the line 
 along Goose Creek our brigade was reinforced by the First South 
 Carolina Regiment, which had been absent guarding the wagon 
 train. They went at once into the fight in their own gallant way. 
 They were a "fighting regiment," as were all the regiments of 
 Hampton s Brigade; and they immediately made themselves felt 
 by the enemy on the part of our line where they were stationed. 
 
 To cover our withdrawal from this line along Goose Creek 
 General Stuart placed the gallant Captain Angus P. Brown, of 
 the First South Carolina, with his company at the bridge and 
 instructed him to hold it as long as possible. This was done in a 
 most gallant manner, and the bridge was held to the last possible 
 moment. When his men at last retired to save themselves from 
 capture, Captain Brown was on the ground with two wounds, one 
 in the leg and one in the head. He was apparently mortally 
 wounded and it was impossible to carry him off. When the Fed 
 eral cavalry crossed the bridge two of them tried to ride their 
 horses on to Captain Brown as he lay there apparently dying; 
 but the horses, more humane than their riders, could not be forced 
 to trample on him. At this juncture, a Federal lieutenant rode 
 up and made the men desist from their inhuman conduct. He 
 had an ambulance brought up, and Captain Brown was placed in 
 it and carried to the Federal field hospital. 
 
 I am happy to say he survived the war, and at the time of 
 writing this sketch is still living in Columbia, S. C. 
 
 When we took up the position in an open field, after leaving 
 the line of Goose Creek, the enemy drew up line after line of 
 mounted men, until the whole country, as far as we could see, was 
 blue with them. Here it was that Gregg s Division was rein 
 forced by the reserve brigade of Buford s Cavalry Division, 
 making four brigades of cavalry in our front, besides Vincent s 
 Infantry Brigade on our right flank. With such a force it was 
 only a question of how long we could hold our line; and after 
 finding we were again outflanked, we retired slowly upon Upper- 
 ville. 
 
 When the Federal cavalry formed in long lines in front of us, 
 I had expected they would advance on us in a charge, and we 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 179 
 
 would have a "grand mix up" on a field so well adapted for it. 
 This seemed to be the hope of our men, for there was nothing 
 Hampton s men liked so well in a fight as a chance to use their 
 sabres. 
 
 We could not risk advancing to charge them, as our right flank 
 had already been doubled back (or refused, as it was generally 
 termed,) to meet that portion of Vincent s infantry brigade 
 which had passed our right flank and was working its way 
 steadily toward our rear. But we were waiting for them to 
 charge, to teach them the lesson we soon afterwards taught them 
 near Upperville. 
 
 Their cavalry, however, remained drawn up in line, and they 
 brought up several batteries and opened a heavy artillery fire 
 which inflicted a terrible loss on us before we retired as already 
 stated. 
 
 Among those killed at this portion of the field was Cecil John 
 son, of Company B, Second South Carolina Cavalry. He was a 
 nephew of Lieutenant-Colonel Benjamin J. Johnson, of the 
 Hampton Legion, who was killed at the First Manassas. Cecil 
 Johnson was one of the finest soldiers I ever saw. Utterly devoid 
 of fear, with a cool, calm judgment, never missing a day s duty, 
 ready for any emergency, and always to be depended upon, no 
 matter what he was called upon to do, he filled completely my 
 idea of a model soldier. He fell, while firing his last shot, with 
 his rifle at his shoulder. 
 
 The converging roads before mentioned now brought Robert 
 son s Brigade up near the left flank of Hampton s Brigade, and 
 lessened a good deal the front line we had been covering. The 
 Second Cavalry, being on the left of Hampton s Brigade, was 
 ordered to retire first, the whole brigade retiring (as it had done 
 all day) en echelon of regiments. After leaving the open fields 
 near Upperville, and while passing through a piece of woods, 
 we heard the unmistakable uproar of a furious cavalry fight in 
 our rear. Major Lipscomb at once wheeled the regiment about, 
 and we went at a trot for the scene of conflict. Before we got 
 out of the woods we were met by a lot of men from Robertson s 
 Brigade with dismounted horses hurrying to the rear. For the 
 first time during the day I saw General Stuart. He was gallop 
 ing toward the front, and a lot of led horses came swinging on 
 
180 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 at a gallop to meet him. He sat his horse as if he were a part of 
 him, and reining him back for an instant, he caught the connect 
 ing rein of the horses directly in front of him and, throwing it 
 over his head, passed on through to the front. 
 
 The led horses passed on to the left of our regiment and went 
 to the rear. They were followed by a regiment of Robertson s 
 Brigade, which struck the head of our column and for a moment 
 or two delayed it. But Major Lipscomb ordered the men to force 
 their way through the North Carolinians, which we did. and 
 passing on at a gallop we emerged from the woods upon the open 
 fields near Upperville. Here we found three regiments of the 
 brigade reforming after a desperate conflict with overwhelming 
 numbers. Each regiment had charged and defeated three regi 
 ments of Federal cavalry successively, and had driven them back 
 over a half-mile. The opposing forces were about two hundred 
 yards apart. Each engaged in reforming their ranks after the 
 charge and getting ready to renew the conflict. Back behind 
 the Federals fresh regiments were rapidly advancing to the 
 support of the disorganized masses in front of them, and the fields 
 for a mile back were blue with reinforcements hurrying to the 
 front. 
 
 We came up at a gallop, and under General Hampton s orders 
 to cover the rest of the brigade while they were reforming, we 
 passed by our left flank, the Jeff Davis Legion being on our 
 immediate right, and halted in close column of squadrons about 
 sixty yards in advance, and between them and the enemy, who 
 were both in front and on the left flank. In the meanwhile the 
 Federals had placed a lot of sharpshooters behind a stone wall 
 in our front, was opened a galling fire on us. As our regiment 
 was nearest them, their fire was directed principally at us. Here 
 we lost, besides others, Sergeant Holliday, of Company F, and 
 Sergeant Hood, of Company C, two of the best non-commissioned 
 officers of the regiment, who were both killed at this point. 
 
 Expecting that as soon as the brigade was reformed we would 
 be ordered to charge, and knowing that a deep ditch ran diag 
 onally across in front, hidden by a tall growth of timothy, I rode 
 forward about seventy-five yards to select a place for the regiment 
 to cross when the charge was ordered. As I reached the ditch, I 
 nearly rode upon a Federal dragoon, who was lying in the grass 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 181 
 
 with a terrible sabre wound in his head. He was lying face down, 
 and raised his head and groaned as if the blood was smothering 
 him. I started to dismount to turn him over on his back. Just 
 at that moment two balls struck my horse, one barely missing my 
 knee, the other striking him behind the left ear. He fell dead and 
 rolled over on me with my right leg under him. I tried in vain 
 to draw my leg out from under my horse, and then I realized that, 
 lying hidden by the tall grass, I was liable to be trampled to death 
 by the horses of our own men, when they advanced to the charge. 
 I managed to raise myself high enough for my head to be just 
 visible above the tall grass, and called to Major Lipscomb, and 
 asked him to send some men to take my horse off me. The regi 
 ment had seen my horse go down with me, and thought we were 
 both killed. As soon as my voice was heard and my head seen the 
 entire first squadron started forward to aid me. Major Lipscomb 
 halted them and sent Lieutenant John G. Wham and three men, 
 who raised my horse off me and dragged me out from under him. 
 As soon as I regained my feet and found that my leg was not 
 broken, and that I could still use it, I felt that I could then take 
 care of myself, and I determined not to risk any further the lives 
 of the brave men who had come to my aid. The Federal sharp 
 shooters in front of us were then giving their almost undivided 
 attention to the group around me, and the balls were singing in 
 every direction about us. So I directed Lieutenant Wham to 
 mount his men at once, to scatter them and return to the regiment. 
 I can see him now before me with his look of surprise as I gave 
 the order, and for an instant he stood gazing at me in apparent 
 astonishment. I repeated the order, adding: "Some of you will 
 be killed here in a few moments, and I can take care of myself 
 now." He gave the order to his men, they mounted and galloped 
 back in open order to the regiment. I unstrapped my overcoat 
 from the bow of my saddle, and threw it in the hollow of my left 
 arm, then I reached under my horse, burst loose the button that 
 held the holster, and drew out the pistol from it. I carried a 
 revolver in the holster on my saddle in addition to the Colt s Navy 
 in my belt. And bending as low as I could in the tall timothy 
 grass to avoid the aim of the Federal sharpshooters, I made good 
 time back to the regiment. 
 
182 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 I was carried behind one of the men to the rear and there met 
 a detachment of the Cobb Legion, which had about fifty captured 
 Federals in charge, most of them with sabre cuts* in their heads. 
 I made one of them dismount, and mounting his horse I rejoined 
 the regiment. 
 
 The brigade being reformed and the enemy having turned both 
 our flanks, we w^ere ordered to retire, which we did slow r ly and in 
 perfect order, our regiment bringing up the rear and covering the 
 rest of the brigade. After we had left Upperville behind, the 
 Federals made their final dash on us. They were met by Colonel 
 P. G. Evans s regiment of North Carolinians, who were covering 
 Robertson s Brigade, and on whom the advance was made. 
 Colonel Evans met them with a dashing counter-charge, and the 
 North Carolinians drove them headlong before them, but their 
 gallant colonel was killed in the charge. 
 
 We moved down at a gallop to the support of the North Caro 
 linians, but the repulse of the enemy was final, and they made no 
 other demonstration and followed no further. 
 
 An accurate description of the fight by Hampton s Brigade 
 near Upperville is given by Major H. B. McClellan in the "Life 
 and Campaigns of General J. E. B. Stuart," in w y hich he quotes 
 from the account of General Hampton. I make the following 
 extract from his admirably written description of the battle of 
 Upperville : 
 
 "While these events were occurring on the north of the Upper 
 ville Pike, General Gregg was handsomely pushing his advance 
 upon the town. Robertson s Brigade held the road and the open 
 fields north of it. As he retired from the toAvn one of his regi 
 ments was thrown into some confusion, Avhich Avas, hoAvever, 
 instantly relieved by the splendid conduct of Hampton s Brigade 
 on the right. As the enemy folloAved Robertson on the road 
 Hampton charged their flank with the Jeff Davis Legion. Gen 
 eral Hampton gives the folloAving account of this action: We 
 repulsed the enemy, Avho threAA T a fresh regiment on the right flank 
 of the Legion. I called up the right Aving of the North Carolina 
 Cavalry, five companies under Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon (after- 
 Avards brigadier-general), and in turn charged. Another regi 
 ment charged the North Carolinians, when Colonel Baker, with 
 the remaining five companies, struck them upon the flank. Baker 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 183 
 
 was charged by a fresh regiment. Then I put in the Cobb Legion 
 and broke the attacking party. The Cobb Legion was again 
 attacked, and again with the Jeff Davis Legion I turned the flank ; 
 and this series of charges went on until all of my regiments named 
 had charged three times, and I had gained ground to the right 
 and front of more than half a mile. At this moment the Second 
 South Carolina Cavalry was brought up in good order from the 
 rear, and under its protection I reformed my command, and 
 retired in column of regiments, at a walk and without molestation. 
 In the meantime everything upon my left had given way and the 
 enemy were in Upperville. I came into the road beyond the 
 village and formed to support Robertson." 
 
 After this quotation from General Hampton of the affair near 
 Upperville, Major McClellan sums up the result of the battle 
 of Upperville as follows: "Hampton brought off eighty pris 
 oners from the fight. The enemy advanced but a short distance 
 beyond Upperville. The last charge of the day was made by 
 Colonel P. G. Evans s regiment of North Carolina Cavalry, of 
 Robertson s brigade. This was the regiment which had become 
 disordered in retiring through the town. Colonel Evans was 
 determined to atone for this disgrace. Placing himself at the 
 head of his column of fours in the narrow lane and pointing with 
 his drawn sabre toward the enemy, he cried, as with the voice of 
 a trumpet, Now, men, I want you to understand that I am going 
 through! He kept his word, but fell mortally wounded in the 
 midst of the enemy, whose ranks he had penetrated too far for 
 the recovery of his body. A feeble attempt to follow this regi 
 ment as it returned from the charge was checked by Hampton s 
 brigade [this was the forward movement led by the Second South 
 Carolina in support of the North Carolina Regiment, of which I 
 have written,] and darkness closed down upon the scenes of this 
 hard-fought day. Had a longer term of daylight permitted any 
 further advance by the enemy, they would have come into 
 collision with Longstreet s infantry, which had come down from 
 the gap to Stuart s aid. He acknowledged in his report that he 
 was unable to follow Stuart into the gap, and, except that he 
 assured himself that the enemy had no infantry force in London 
 Valley, was unable to transmit to army headquarters any other 
 information as to the result of the reconnoissance beyond that 
 given by the negroes here. : 
 
184 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 I will make one more quotation from Major McClellan s account 
 of the battle : 
 
 "If victory in any passage of arms is to be claimed by either 
 side, it must be accorded to Hampton s Brigade, which at the 
 close of the day relieved the pressure on Robertson s two regi 
 ments, drove back the forces opposed to it, regained more than 
 half a mile of ground, and retired from the battle at a walk and 
 unmolested. This success was mainly due to that personal 
 influence which both during and since the war has marked Hamp 
 ton as a leader of men. When the Jeff Davis Legion was counter 
 charged, its position seemed perilous. Hampton saw the danger, 
 and turned to Baker s regiment. Drawing his sabre, and raising 
 himself to his full height, he cried, First North Carolina, follow 
 me! And those North Carolinians could as little resist that 
 appeal as iron can fail to obey the magnet." 
 
 With the charge of Evans s North Carolina Regiment the 
 battle was virtually ended. We waited quietly for a while for 
 any demonstration of the enemy, and finding that they had no 
 intentions of attempting any further advance, we retired again at 
 a walk. Just after reaching the village of Paris we met some of 
 Longstreet s infantry advancing to our support and deployed as 
 skirmishers, but their services were not needed. The Federal 
 cavalry never came in sight of them. 
 
 And as the shades of night were falling we dismounted from 
 our weary horses, and lay down to rest from the toils and dangers 
 of the bloody battlefield of Upperville. 
 
 The above sketch was prepared by my comrade, General James W. Moore, 
 the distinguished lawyer of Hampton, S. C., who was adjutant of the 
 Second South Carolina Cavalry than whom there was no better soldier in 
 the Army of Northern Virginia. U. R. BROOKS. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 185 
 
 RECOLLECTIONS OF CALVIN HARPER (NEGRO) 
 
 The annexed statement is an account of the wounding and 
 subsequent death of Captain W. D. Farley, being the recollections 
 of Calvin Harper, a faithful colored servant of the noted scout, 
 and given practically in Cal s own words, which, if not literally 
 correct, are doubtless approximately so. And while the faithful 
 old ex- Confederate servant may say nothing of special interest, 
 he is entitled to some recognition for his loyalty and trustworthi 
 ness to his young masters (as he followed more than one of them) 
 and in being thus, he was frequently under fire of the enemy. 
 Indeed, we were more than once impressed at the physical courage 
 manifested on the part of negro servants in the war, and not only 
 their faithfulness and loyalty to their masters, but their apparent 
 loyalty to the cause for which those masters were fighting, while 
 indifferent to their own freedom, which was easily obtainable by 
 simply stepping across the line into Yankee soldierdom. Yet we 
 never knew of such an instance. But let the old negro veteran 
 tell his story in his own way. He says : 
 
 "About three or four o clock on morning of the fight I awoke 
 Captain Bill Farley and told him I heard a cannon fire twice on 
 Rappahannock River. While we were talking the cannon fired 
 the third time. Captain Farley then told me to go and wake up 
 General Stuart and tell him. Then Captain Farley asked me was 
 I certain I heard two cannons fire. I told him I did. About that 
 time the General come. He told Captain Farley to get his horse 
 and ride down to the river and see what was the matter, and to 
 carry two or three couriers with him. About seven or eight 
 o clock Captain Farley returned and said: Get ready and pack 
 up. I saw four columns going up the Stevensburg road. Get 
 ready quick as possible, and go and order General Butler out on 
 the road. I said to Captain Farley, Can I go with the General? 
 He said, Yes, pack up all my things, and you can go. Captain 
 Farley s last words to me were, Don t let Major (Henry) Farley 
 have my black horse. I then rode with the general all day until 
 about three or four o clock in the evening, when General Hampton 
 rode up, and General Stuart asked him who were those on top 
 
186 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 of the hill. General Hampton replied that it was the enemy. 
 General Stuart then said to Hampton, You must cut them in two. 
 General Hampton then pulled his hat down ovfcr his face and 
 said, Forward, men! Forward! Just at the old red house, 
 below Brandy Station, General Hampton did cut them in two, 
 in a short time upon the hill. 
 
 "I followed Captain Farley to his grave. He was buried in 
 Dr. Thomas s vineyard, at Culpepper Court House. I then went 
 to Lieutenant Farley, of the Third Kegiment, at Chickamauga. 
 
 "I saw President Jeff Davis, who came to us on Sunday morn 
 ing after the fight. We were on top of Lookout Mountain. 
 
 "I served the balance of the war with Lieutenant Hugh Farley, 
 and at last drove the hearse that contained his remains to his last 
 bivouac." 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 187 
 
 CHARGE OF JOHN C. CALHOUN AT TREVILLIAN 
 
 STATION 
 
 New York, November 5th, 1908. 
 Colonel U. R. Brooks, Columbia, S. C. 
 
 My Dear Colonel Brooks: I mailed you on the 29th ult, copy 
 of my diary, kept during the year 1864, together with other 
 papers, which I trust will be of service to you in writing the 
 history of "Butler and His Cavalry." 
 
 I have a number of letters written during the war by myself 
 and other people, which give the particulars in regard to different 
 battles, and the campaign in which General Butler s command 
 was engaged; but it takes a lot of time to go over them. If you 
 are not in a hurry, I will have them looked over and see what 
 can be found. 
 
 I enclose you two letters from Ben Maynard to my sister, which 
 are interesting. One refers particularly to the fight at Trevillian 
 Station, and states General Hampton complimented me in person 
 for the charge I made under orders direct from him. The other 
 refers to the fight at Reams Station. 
 
 I also send you copy of a letter, dated July 31st, 1864, written 
 from "Malone s Crossing," by myself to my sister; this contains 
 an account of our bringing out of the enemy s lines a lot of oats, 
 fodder and beef cattle, which had been bought by Major Melton, 
 brigade quartermaster; also an account of the fight at "Lee s 
 Mill," in which W. H. McDonald, of my company, was wounded 
 and one horse killed; also in the junior company of my squadron, 
 which was commanded by Captain Mclver, afterward Chief Jus 
 tice, Lieutenant Weatherby was seriously wounded, one killed 
 and two wounded. 
 
 I have no doubt I can find other letters, giving detailed 
 accounts of the various fights in which we were engaged. In the 
 first day s fight at "Trevillian Station" my squadron was kept 
 mounted; the balance of General Butler s command was dis 
 mounted, the fourth man holding the horses; when General 
 Custer s brigade got around in our rear, the horse-holders became 
 frightened and turned the horses loose, when they stampeded. 
 Just at this time General Hampton came out of a piece of woods, 
 
188 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 and, jumping a fence, galloped up to my command and ordered 
 me in person to throw the command in a column of fours, charge 
 down the road and attack the cavalry in our re^ar, which I did, 
 completely routing them. 
 
 It turned out that the regiment which we struck with great 
 force was commanded by Colonel R. A. Alger, afterwards gen 
 eral, and secretary of w r ar. General Alger whom I got to know 
 quite well and I have discussed this charge several times. 
 General Hampton also has talked it over with me many times, 
 and complimented me for it on the field at the time, as is stated 
 by Mr. Maynard in his letter of July 31st, 1864. 
 
 The second charge I made was under orders from General 
 Butler, and was made through the lines of General Sheridan, 
 throwing them in confusion, and back to my original position. 
 It was on this charge Sergeant Holcome, who was riding by my 
 side, was killed. 
 
 Mr. Ben Maynard, who wrote the enclosed letters, was one of 
 the most gallant soldiers of the war, and deserves special men 
 tion. General Butler knows of many gallant acts of his, and 
 one particularly, when he called for a volunteer to take a message 
 to General Hampton, Maynard said he would take it; there was 
 a rain of bullets and shrapnel, and it did not look as if one could 
 live and pass where Mr. Maynard had to go. He was at school 
 in Baltimore when the war came on, ran away, came through the 
 lines and joined my company at Pocotaligo. 
 
 If you cannot get a muster roll of my company in Columbia, I 
 will have the one here copied and sent to you. 
 
 Wishing you much success, I am, 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 J. C. C. JOHN C. CALHOUN. 
 
 E. E. M. 
 Enclos. 
 
 ORDER No. 38. 
 
 Headquarters Second Battalion Cavalry S. C. V.. 
 
 Grahamville, S. C., May 5, 1862. 
 
 In pursuance of orders received from Colonel Colquitt, commanding 
 Fourth and Fifth Military Districts South Carolina. 
 
 A re-organization of the Second Battalion of Cavalry, S. C. V., will take 
 place tomorrow, the sixth inst, according to the recent Act passed by 
 Congress. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 189 
 
 At each company headquarters an election will be held and a separate 
 poll will be opened from 11 A. M. to 3 P. M. for the following officers : 
 
 A major to command the battalion, and for each company one captain, 
 one first lieutenant, one second lieutenant, one junior second lieutenant. 
 
 The three highest commissioned officers in each company will act as 
 managers of the election. As soon as the polls are closed the managers 
 will count the votes cast for the company officers, and will forward a cer 
 tified statement of the result of the election to these headquarters. 
 
 Immediately after counting the votes for company officers, at least one 
 manager from each company precinct will report at headquarters with the 
 different boxes containing ballots for major, count the votes and furnish a 
 certified statement of the result. 
 
 In accordance with the "Act" referred to above, only those will be 
 entitled to vote in the re-organization who will be permanently attached 
 to the battalion. 
 
 No company is allowed more than eighty men, rank and file. 
 
 By order of 
 
 (Signed) JAMES P. ADAMS, 
 
 CAPTAIN CALHOUN. Major Commanding. 
 
 Grahamville, S. C., May 6, 1862. 
 
 This is to certify at an election held for officers of Co. "B," Second Bat 
 talion, Cavalry S. C. V., in accordance with orders to re-organize under 
 "Conscription Act" of the "Confederate Congress," that the following is the 
 result : 
 
 Captain John C. Calhoun received all of the votes polled at said election. 
 
 Larkin Newton received 28 votes for first lieutenant. 
 
 T. D. Bellotte received 37 votes for first lieutenant. 
 
 W. H. McLeskey received 1 vote for first lieutenant. 
 
 Aaron Boggs received 50 votes for second lieutenant. 
 
 T. W. Hunnicitt received 4 votes for second lieutenant. 
 
 M. P. Rogers received 5 votes for second lieutenant. 
 
 J. E. Dodd received 6 votes for second lieutenant. 
 
 J. M. Reid received 1 vote for second lieutenant. 
 
 J. M. Reid received 44 votes for junior second lieutenant. 
 
 W. H. McLeskey received 20 votes for junior second lieutenant. 
 
 T. D. Bellotte received 1 vote for junior second lieutenant. 
 
 We therefore declare the following officers are duly elected : 
 
 John C. Calhoun, captain ; Thos. D. Bellotte, first lieutenant ; Aaron 
 Boggs, second lieutenant ; James M. Reid, junior second lieutenant. 
 
 (Signed) JOHN C. CALHOUN, 
 
 LIEUTENANT L. NEWTON, 
 AARON BOGGS, Second Lieut. 
 
 Official : 
 
 JAMES P. ADAMS, Major Commanding. 
 
190 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 DIARY OF CAPTAIN JOHN C. CALHOUN, CO. "C," FOURTH REGI 
 MENT SOUTH CAROLINA CAVALRY, BUTLER S BRIGADE, 
 HAMPTON S DIVISION. ; 
 
 May 4, 1864. Left Fort Hill for Columbia on way to Virginia. 
 
 May 9, 1864. Left Columbia for Greensboro, N. C., to join regiment. 
 
 May 11, 1864. Arrived at Greensboro, N. C., and joined regiment, which 
 arrived on the 12th. 
 
 May 13, 1864. Regiment rested and remained over at Greensboro. 
 
 May 14, 1864. Marched with regiment to "Grahams," N. C., 22 miles, 
 and halted for the night. 
 
 May 15, 1864. Marched with regiment to "Cedar Grove," N. C., 20 miles, 
 and halted for the night. 
 
 May 16, 1864. Marched with regiment to "Mount Teroja," N. C., 22 
 miles, and halted for the night. 
 
 May 17, 1864. Marched with regiment to "Oak Hill," N. C., 20 miles, 
 and halted for the night. 
 
 May 18, 1864. Received information of Colonel Spears making a raid 
 on the Danville Railroad, and made a forced march from "Oak Hill," 
 N. C., to Clarksville, Va., twenty miles, where the regiment remained for 
 the night awaiting information. 
 
 May 19, 1864. Hearing of Colonel Spears making his way towards 
 "Roanoke Station," on Danville Railroad, made forced march to Roanoke 
 Station, 30 miles, and halted for the night. 
 
 May 20, 1864. Hearing Colonel Spears had returned to his lines, took 
 the most direct road to Richmond and marched to "Keysville," Va., 22 
 miles, where the regiment halted for the night. 
 
 May 21, 1864. Marched with regiment to "Burkville," Va., 23 miles, and 
 halted for the night. 
 
 May 22, 1864. Marched with regiment to "Amelia," C.-H., Va., 23 miles, 
 and halted for the night. 
 
 May 23, 1864. Having been taken sick at "Greensboro," N. C., and grad 
 ually getting worse until now am too unwell to travel with regiment, con 
 sequently take the cars for "Richmond." Remained in bed in Richmond 
 from the evening of the 23d until the 1st June, 1864. Disease, chill and 
 fever. 
 
 June 1, 1864. Hearing of the engagements of the 28 May at "Hawes 
 Shops," and the 29th near "Cold Harbor," and the 30th at "Cold Harbor," 
 and the heavy loss of my company, got up out of bed and joined my com 
 pany and regiment near "Cold Harbor" on the march towards "Bottom s 
 Bridge." Regiment halted for the night about 8 miles from Bottom s 
 Bridge. 
 
 June 2, 1864. Early in the morning marched with regiment to "Bottom s 
 Bridge" and took position to repel the enemy from crossing the Chicka- 
 honiiny River. Slight skirmishing in the evening; only the Sixth S. C. 
 Cavalry engaged; the Fourth held as reserve. Fell back two miles to 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 191 
 
 camp for the night. Brigade left on duty at "Bottom s Bridge" for the 
 night. 
 
 June 3, 1864. Marched down to "Bottom s Bridge" again early; after 
 taking position and remaining a short time the regiment was ordered back 
 to camp, except my squadron, which was ordered to take up the picket line 
 of "White Oak Swamp," and I placed in command of outposts. After going 
 around and placing the pickets (about 40 miles) returned to headquarters 
 outpost about 10 o clock. 
 
 June 4, 1864. Visited the line of pickets in the morning, relieved by 
 Captain Goodwin, of the Sixth Regiment, about 11 o clock at night, and 
 inarched back with squadron to "Savage Station" on York River Railroad, 
 where the regiment was arriving just before daylight ; raining hard. 
 
 June 5, 1864. The whole brigade moved camp to "White Oak Swamp" 
 on "Bottom s Bridge" and "Charles City" road, about nine miles from "Sav 
 age Station." Remained in said camp until the 8th. 
 
 June 8, 1864. The whole brigade marched from "White Oak Swamp" to 
 "Mechanicsville," about 27 miles, and halted for the night. 
 
 June 0, 1864. All the effective men of the brigade started from "Mechan 
 icsville" on an expedition after General Sheridan, who was going to the 
 relief of General Hunter in the valley with 10,000 cavalry and several bat 
 teries of artillery. The entire command of the expedition rested on Gen 
 eral Hampton, whose force consisted of about 6,000 cavalry and two bat 
 teries of artillery. The brigade marched about 30 miles on the road 
 towards "Gordonsville," bearing into the "North Anna" River and halted to 
 feed ; after resting about three hours, again took up the line of march and 
 reached "Louisa" C.-H. on the 10th about mid-day. Passing on about three 
 miles the brigade halted to graze, when we heard of the near approach of 
 the enemy. The brigade went on then nearly to "Trevillian Station" and 
 halted for the night. 
 
 June 11, 1864. Our brigade was engaged today in one of the hardest 
 fights which has occurred in Virginia. I and my command were steadily 
 under fire from 7 o clock in the morning to 2 :30 P. M. I made two mounted 
 charges with my "squadron," in the first of which I charged through the 
 enemies line of skirmishers, throwing them in great confusion; went some 
 two hundred yards to the rear of their line and drove off a squadron of 
 their cavalry and charged back through their lines, and occupied my origi 
 nal position. In the second charge I only had 65 men in my squadron, the 
 remainder having been detailed off, and with them I charged, under the eye 
 of the commanding general, two regiments of the enemy, hi botli of these 
 charges I teas complimented. The loss of my squadron in these charges 
 was 23. 
 
 June 12, 1864. Notwithstanding being very unwell and much worn out 
 from previous illness, and having eaten nothing for two days, I attempted 
 to lead my command into action, when the enemy made a furious assault 
 on our lines about 4 o clock P. M., but having double-quicked about 50 
 yards, I fainted and had to retire. 
 
192 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 June 13, 1864. The enemy being completely beaten and routed, and I 
 feeling a little rested, having slept in a house nearby, joined my command 
 and followed in pursuit of the fast retreating foe. Marched all night. 
 
 June 14, 1864. Continued in pursuit and halted for the night, after 
 crossing "North Anna" River. 
 
 June 15, 1864. Continued in pursuit, and after a hard day s march halted 
 for the night in Caroline County, near the Telegraph Road. 
 
 June 16, 1864. Continued in pursuit, and after a very hard day s march, 
 halted about 11 o clock at night on the "Mattapony" River. 
 
 June 17, 1864. Continued in pursuit, but followed down the "Mattapony" 
 River rather to watch the fords and bridges. Encamped in a very fine 
 clover field near a handsome little cottage on the river. The enemy about 
 four miles on opposite side of the river. 
 
 .June 18, 1864. Changed our direction for the "White House" and 
 marched to the Pamunkey River ; crossed at Wickham s ford and halted 
 for the night ; I in command of regiment. 
 
 June 19, 1864. Made a severe march and halted about 5 hours, at 10 
 P. M., in a clover field, about seven miles from White House. 
 
 June 20, 1864. Took up the line of march about 3 o clock A. M. for 
 "White House;" encountered the enemy s pickets about daylight and cap 
 tured them. The command being dismounted to fight, I was placed, by 
 General Butler, in command of the horses. At night the whole brigade 
 retired three miles to graze the horses. 
 
 June 21, 1864. The command advanced again, and, our brigade being 
 dismounted, drove the enemy to their gunboats. I went with the regiment 
 as long as I could walk, being very unwell and weak, when I volunteered 
 on Colonel Funstain s staff (commanding the brigade), and acted during 
 the remainder of the day with him. In the evening late we took up the 
 line of march to Bottom s Bridge, and, after marching almost all night, 
 arrived there just before daylight. 
 
 June 22, 1864. Being now quite seriously ill, I leave camp, under orders 
 from the surgeon, for a hospital, and arrive in Richmond about dark. 
 
 June 23, 1864. I leave for the "Hugenot Springs Hospital" and arrive on 
 the morning of the 24th, and remained at the Hugenot Springs Hospital 
 sick until 14th July, 1864. 
 
 July 14, 1864. Leave Hugenot Springs Hospital for camp at Stoney 
 Creek Station," on W. & P. R. R. Stop for the night at Mrs. Cock s, 18 
 miles. 
 
 July 15, 1864. Lost the road. Stopped for the night at Dr. Boisseau s, 
 30 miles. 
 
 July 10, 1864. Reached camp at Major Malone s farm, 18 miles. 
 
 July 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22d, 23d, 24th, 2.5th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 
 29th, 30th, 31st, August 1st, 2d, and 3d remained in camp on - . 
 
 Had some severe skirmishes with enemy. 
 
 August 4, 1864. Removed camp nearer the railroad. Remained in this 
 camp until llth. 
 
 August 11, 1864. Stopped for the night on Swift Run, 17 miles. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 193 
 
 August 12, 1864. Stopped for the night at "Manchester," 16 miles. 
 
 August 13, 1864. Stopped for the night at "South Anna," 24 miles. 
 
 August 14, 1864. Halted for the night at "North Anna," 14 miles. 
 
 August 15, 1864. Having received orders to return to Richmond as soon 
 as possible, made a forced march back to "Ashland." The night of the 
 15th marched to "Chickahomicy." 
 
 August 16, 1864. Marched via Richmond to "Deep Bottom," and from 
 there to "Savage Station" on York R. R., where we halted for the night. 
 
 August 17, 1864. Rested in camp. 
 
 August 18, 1864. Remained in line of battle from daylight until about 
 4 o clock, when we attacked the enemy at "White Oak Swamp" and de 
 feated them. 
 
 August 19, 1864. Moved camp to near "White s Tavern." 
 
 August 20, 1864. Remained in camp. 
 
 August 21, 1864. Regiment crossed to South-Side; I being too unwell to 
 march, was sent by surgeon to hospital in Richmond. 
 
 August 22, 1864. Entered General Hospital No. 4, Richmond; remained 
 in General Hospital No. 4 until 28th. 
 
 August 28, 1864. Went to Hugenot Springs Hospital. 
 
 CASUALTIES OF COMPANY "C," FOURTH SOUTH CAROLINA 
 CAVALRY, IN BATTLE. 
 
 BATTLE OF HAWES SHOP SATURDAY, MAY 28, 1864. 
 
 Lieutenant T. D. Bellotte, severely wounded and missing. 
 
 Corporal Moore, wounded and missing. 
 
 S. A. Bellotte, slight wound in elbow, not missing. 
 
 Z. D. Bellotte, mortal wound in body and missing. 
 
 A. Collins, wounded and missing. 
 
 A. Day, dead and missing. 
 N. Day, dead and missing. 
 J. T. Day, missing. 
 
 C. M. Faut, wounded and missing. 
 
 J. Henderson, one finger off; not missing. 
 
 W. C. Kirkey, serious wound in thigh ; not missing. 
 
 William Lee, wounded and missing. 
 
 B. Mirk, missing. 
 
 W. H. McDonald, flesh wound in head ; not missing. 
 
 C. Smith, missing. 
 
 HEAVY SKIRMISH FIGHT SUNDAY, MAY 29, 1864 
 
 John Glenn, wounded, slight; not missing. 
 
 D. N. Halcourt, very slight wound; not missing. 
 
 S. N. Price, slight wound in right arm ; not missing. 
 
 13 B. C. 
 
194 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 I submit this for the benefit of the poor people that may come to Uncle 
 Andrew for information, the friends and relatives of those mentioned. 
 
 The cases of some are not known. I put a dash after the name and 
 write missing. ; ; tr ; 
 
 The casualties of the regiment are 180 in all since we have been fighting. 
 
 I would write more but I have been Quite unwell today. Let me hear 
 from you often. 
 
 Love to all of my dear relatives and friends. 
 
 Ever your most devoted cousin, 
 
 (Signed) B. G. MAYNARD. 
 
 Headquarters Butler s Cavalry Brigade, 
 * Near Reams Station, July 14, 1864. 
 
 Dearest Cousin: For many unavoidable reasons I have failed to write 
 to one whom I love very much, but, though leading at present a very active 
 life, I steal time enough to express my attachment and love for you. 
 
 I am now perfectly inured to the hardships of a Virginia soldier, and 
 can stand anything, it seems to me, in the way of exposure and fatigue, 
 as I was thoroughly tested on the raid in pursuit of Sheridan, on which 
 raid I broke my white horse down, but was furnished with another one by 
 Uncle John Maynard. 
 
 I presume you saw by the papers what a successful expedition it proved, 
 terminating in the utter defeat and disorganization of his whole force, so 
 much so that whenever we confront him now he falls back as if in 
 unbounded honor of our brave boys. In 1he fioht at "Trevillian Station" 
 Captain Calhoun led two very gallant charges, which reflected such a 
 lustre upon his military capacities that he was complimented on the field 
 by General Hampton. 
 
 I have been detailed as courier to General Butler, and am very well 
 pleased, as both my horse and myself get plenty to eat, and as I desire to 
 be absent from the company in Captain Calhoun s absence for many reasons, 
 which I will not trouble you to explain. The captain is now at the hospital 
 near Richmond, "Hugenot Springs," where he is improving and expects to 
 return to the company in a day pr two. 
 
 I will reveal to you several small items of news which may prove inter 
 esting, viz : A scout who has just returned from the rear of the enemy s 
 lines reports officially that the Sixth army corps from Grant s army has 
 been ordered towards Washington, as Early s movements have caused great 
 uneasiness in the Federal ranks. Report from scouts also affirm that 
 Sheridan, with his artillery wagons and his whole command, were moving 
 towards Weldon, but they encountered General Fitz Lee s command, and, 
 after a sharp picket engagement, retired. 
 
 I hope that Uncle Andrew got the letter I sent him by Miss Crawford. 
 
 Write soon and direct your letter as usual, as the Petersburg railroad is 
 opened again. 
 
 Love to all, and much to you, dearest cousin. 
 
 Your most affectionate cousin, 
 
 (Signed) R. G. MAYNARD. 
 
 To Miss M. M. Calhoun, Fort Hill. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 195 
 
 Maloan s Farm, July 23, 1864. 
 
 Mr. Editor: In the correspondence of "N." in your recent issue of the 
 13th inst., relating to the fight "at Trevillian s Station under Generals 
 Hampton and Butler, whose forces were engaged and sustained the blunt 
 of the onslaught," errors are very apt to occur where there is a more or 
 less degree of excitement, must be admitted. With all due deference to the 
 brave and able generals for the stragetic and judicious manoeuvreing of 
 their .forces on that occasion, yet there is a slight mistake in the accounts 
 given as regards the charge that was made "by only three companies" and 
 by General Hampton in person against nearly the whole of the Yankee 
 forces, when separated and cut off from the rest of his command, "two 
 thousand of the enemy occupying one portion of the road and over four 
 thousand on the other." The charge was made by Captain John C. Cal- 
 houn, Co. "C," Fourth Regiment South Carolina Cavalry, Butler s Brigade, 
 and not, as stated by the correspondent, to be "by General Hampton in 
 person." 
 
 "Credit should be given to whom credit is due." Therefore I beg leave 
 to call your attention to it and request the correction of that portion of 
 "N s" correspondence. By so doing you will oblige the author of this, who 
 was present and an eye-witness to the charge when made. 
 
 (Signed) M. 
 
 NOTE. The above is an extract taken from the Daily Southern Guardian, 
 published in Columbia, S. C., dated August 2, 1864. 
 
 (General Hampton made the charge with the Sixth South Carolina Cav 
 alry, and not the Fourth South Carolina Cavalry, llth June, 1864, at 
 Trevillian. General Hampton emptied two saddles with his own pistol and 
 Lieutenant John Bauskett killed the Yank who was about to kill the gallant 
 W. Gilmore Simms, of Co. F, cadet Company Sixth South Carolina Cavalry, 
 who was promoted for gallantry. U. R. BROOKS.) 
 
 Camp Near Reams Station, Oct. 7, 1864. 
 
 My Dear Cousin : As this is the first opportunity which has presented 
 itself since my arrival in camp to write you a few words expressive of my 
 love, etc., I with great pleasure avail myself of it. 
 
 After three days very pleasantly spent in Richmond I started (Septem 
 ber 24th) for my command, and found it encamped on the Plank Road not 
 far from the Weldon R. R. I reported to General Butler, as he directed 
 me, and as he had over his full quota, he ordered me back to my company, 
 much to my satisfaction, the next day. I reported to Lieutenant Dickson 
 for duty the 26th, and on the 28th was detailed for picket, and before we 
 were relieved the enemy made a demonstration on our lines, driving in the 
 pickets and dashing on towards the South-Side Railroad. Colonel Jeffords, 
 who commanded the picket detail from our brigade, after gathering us 
 together, started off to check, if possible, their advance, but later in the day, 
 
196 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 having ascertained that they were in strong force, "both infantry and 
 cavalry," he dispatched a courier to General Dunovant requesting that he 
 bring his brigade to the front and giving all the information that he had 
 received during the day. Accordingly he advanced within a mile or two 
 of the vidette line, and after a long conversation the general instructed 
 Colonel "J." to move with the picket detail under his charge up to the 
 point that our reserve post had been before the enemy advanced. He 
 obeyed, moving cautiously by a blind road to the position named, and found 
 no enemy up to that point, but just as we halted General Pryor, "the noted 
 scout," dashed up and informed him that the enemy was drawn up in line 
 of battle on the opposite side of the Squirrel Level Road, their right resting 
 immediately in his front, and after an investigation he came back and 
 directed me to go, with all possible speed, to the general and inform him 
 that the enemy were drawn up in line of battle on the Squirrel Level Road, 
 "infantry in the rear and cavalry in the front," and that the line extended 
 for a mile parallel with the road. I dashed off and met the general 
 advancing, delivered the message and walked on back with the column. On 
 the way General Butler met us, and, after receiving all the particulars 
 regarding the day s transactions, he remarked with emphasis, "Advance the 
 column, general, we will attack them." And taking the lead himself he 
 moved off in a gallop. 
 
 A few minutes after and nothing could be heard but the booming of 
 cannon and the roar of musketry. Everything was progressing favorably 
 when a large buck, emerging from a thicket before us, bounded across the 
 field, having been driven from his hiding place by our skirmish line, which 
 was advancing. It was a beautiful sight at any time, but the diversion in 
 the hour of battle was indeed pleasant. The fight lasted until dark, when 
 we retired, the enemy having been well paid for their boldness. 
 
 The next day we marched and counter-marched, and at night about 9 
 o clock we were blown to horse and started, as we supposed, to flank the 
 enemy, but to our surprise we went on until a report, as of about twenty 
 (20) guns, was heard, and the column came to a dead halt and in a few 
 minutes we were retracing our steps. Upon ascertaining what caused the 
 disturbance it proved that the enemy had picketed twenty (20) or thirty 
 (30) men on the road that we were moving up, and upon the approach 
 of the column we were ordered to halt and Captain Butler, by order of the 
 general, dismounted and approached on foot to give the password when, to 
 his surprise, he was captured and hurried to the rear. They then fired 
 on the head of the column and retired in great confusion, by doing which 
 three of them were shot by their own side. A darker night never passed 
 over my head. You could not see your hand before you. I ran my horse 
 into a tree two or three times. It started to rain about midnight, and at 
 daybreak we started again for the field of action, to witness the most 
 severe fight that I have ever been in. It was now raining quite heavily, 
 and we were getting ourselves and guns quite wet when the command was 
 given to dismount to fight. "Action front, deploy as skirmishers on the 
 right and left forward," and we moved onward to the fight, death or vie- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 197 
 
 tory our only resolve. We were halted on the crest of a hill in an open 
 field, with no shelter from those deadly missiles of war but the hand of 
 God and the canopy of heaven. We were all waiting for the enemy, with 
 our fingers upon the trigger, when the Yanks opened fire on our left flank. 
 We were all down in a minute stretched at full length on the ground, and 
 after exchanging several volleys with them, we had to fall back, the enemy 
 having flanked us. 
 
 Mr. Davis, a very fine gentleman, and a member of the dragoons, was 
 killed dead by the first volley. We fell back and then took our position on 
 the left of our line, where we fought them until 2 o clock, when General 
 W. H. F. Lee s division, having gone round with the intention of flanking 
 the enemy, dashed up to our assistance, but having taken a wrong road, 
 charged up in our rear instead of the Yankees , but caused them to fall 
 back. We no sooner saw them retreating than we moved up forward from 
 our breastworks with a yell and drove them until they got shelter from 
 their entrenchments, being a distance of about half a mile. Our line being 
 regularly formed, we moved on until a portion of the line faltered, when 
 General Dunovant rode to the front of the line and in a clear and distinct 
 voice ordered the men to follow him, and while cheering them on was shot 
 through the head and fell from his horse a martyr to the cause of Liberty 
 and Independence. But Colonel Stokes, who was next in command, stepped 
 into his boots (to use a vulgar expression) and nobly led them on to the 
 charge. 
 
 We were then facing the enemy s breastworks, and such a storm of shot 
 and shell was never heard of. The shells cut the tops of large pine trees 
 off by the dozens. It seemed to me impossible for man to escape without 
 being covered with bullet holes, but Providence provides for us all. We 
 retired at dark with at least a quarter of a mile of the enemy s ground in 
 our possession. 
 
 The first fight took place on the 29th of September, and the last and 
 large fight on the 1st of October. What made our last fight on the Vaun 
 road so bad was that it rained heavily all day, and we were soaked to the 
 skin during the whole fight and shivering all the time with cold. After the 
 fight was over we had to walk a mile through mud and water, sometimes 
 up to our knees, to get to our lead horses. 
 
 I consider the man who escaped that fight lucky, for it was enough to 
 kill any one, though it gave me nothing but a slight cold in the head. 
 
 During the second charge one of my most intimate friends in the 
 dragoons was wounded, the doctors say mortally, though I hope not. Ben 
 Bostick is his name. I carried him off the field. 
 
 If I have taxed your patience by continuing too long on one subject it is 
 because this is the subject uppermost in my mind, and because I thought 
 an account from one who participated in the fights would prove more inter 
 esting than a newspaper account. 
 
 From the 1st until yesterday we were at the front, expecting an advance 
 from the enemy, cut off from all writing material, clothing and the like, so 
 
198 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 you see I have taken the first opportunity that has presented itself to 
 perform the pleasant task of writing to you. 
 
 I wrote to the captain the first day I got to camp but have not hud a 
 word from him. He is wanted very much in camp, as tilings are not going 
 right in his company. 
 
 We are wanting officers shamefully in the regiment, as there are but two 
 lieutenants for duty and two captains. To give you an idea of the scarcity 
 of officers, Lieutenant Dickson has been acting major. The captain I expect 
 though every day, for he said in his last letter to Lieutenant Dickson that 
 he was improving and expected to return soon. 
 
 I have my white horse with me now and he is in excellent condition. 
 He was appraised at $2,500 the other day, more than I thought he would 
 bring by $500. 
 
 1 am writing this letter under a very nice canvass fly tent, which has 
 been issued by the brigade, one to every two men. 
 
 Tom is one of the coolest men under fire I ever saw, and is a splendid 
 soldier in every respect. Lieutenant Dickson says he is the best man in 
 the company. In the fight of the 1st of October Tom was twenty yards 
 nearer the enemy s breastworks than any man in the brigade, excepting Mr. 
 Thurston. They were together in the engagement. Mr. Thurston is well 
 and stands the campaign better than I thought he would. 
 
 I want you to prove a better correspondent than you have done, and I 
 will do the same. It gives me more pleasure than you can imagine to 
 receive letters from you. 
 
 Give much love to Uncle Andrew and Aunt "M." and to the boys. Little 
 Lula, of course, must not be forgotten. 
 
 Remember me to grandfather and my other aunts if they still remain at 
 Fort Hill. Tell old Cristy I have wished for some of her cakes and waffles 
 many times. 
 
 Receive, dear cousin, for yourself that affection and love which you 
 know I always bear towards you. 
 
 Your most devoted cousin, 
 
 (Signed) B. G. MAYNARD. 
 
 Wilson is well and parching coffee for my supper now in front of the 
 tent. 
 
 I will write in a day or two to Aunt Margaret. Write long letters and 
 plenty of them, like mine today. B. (5. M. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 199 
 
 A DARING YANKEE SPY 
 
 Office of 105th Company, C. A. C., 
 Presidio of San Francisco, Cal., 
 
 January the 20th, 1908. 
 Captain Geo. D. Shadbume, City. 
 
 My Dear Captain: I am enclosing you two copies of letters 
 which father forwarded to me, and which he thought you might 
 be interested in, and requested me to show them to you. 
 
 I should have delivered them personally, but it seems almost 
 an impossibility to leave the barracks, let alone leaving the 
 reservation, as I am very busy making out my notes for my study 
 ing at home. There now remains but sixteen days of the three- 
 year period of enlistment which I gave my oath to serve, and I 
 am very happy in the anticipation of my home-going. 
 
 If the letters are not in your way, will you please pigeonhole 
 them until I can call and get them, as father wished me to send 
 them on to my uncle in Chico (the gentleman whom I brought 
 with me for a call last May). 
 
 Trusting that yourself and Mrs. Shadburne, and also those 
 dear little ones, are enjoying the best of health, I beg to remain, 
 
 Very sincerely, 
 
 MORTIMER B. BIRDSEYE, JR. 
 Sergt. 105th Co., C. A. C. 
 
 Department of Justice. 
 Washington, December 4th, 1908. 
 Colonel M. B. Birdseye. 
 
 Dear Sir: Your letter received. Yes, I was captured by the 
 Harris Light Cavalry (N. Y.) about July 20th, 1862, at Beaver 
 Dam Station, on what is now the C. & C. Railroad. Colonel 
 Mansfield Davies was the colonel in command. Kilpatrick was 
 also there as lieutenant-colonel. I was sitting in the depot when 
 the regiment rode up. They gave me no notice that they were 
 going. They carried me back to Fredericksburg ; thence I was 
 taken to Washington and was exchanged in ten days. I have 
 
200 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 met General Da vies and Ben Kilpatrick since the war. You will 
 see an account of my capture in the history of your regiment. I 
 was not then a commander, but was serving at. General Stuart s 
 headquarters. I had a letter from Stuart to General Jackson. 
 You can find the letter in a supplementary volume of the War 
 Records. I am now writing an account of this affair, and shall 
 publish it in some magazine. 
 
 Very truly, 
 
 (Signed) JNO. S. MOSBY. 
 
 Port Chester, N. Y., November 1, 1908. 
 Col. M. B. Birdseye, Fayetteville, N. Y. 
 
 Dear Colonel : According to promise, I send you the statement 
 of Thaddeus J. Walker, word for word, as he wrote it to me. 
 
 I will first give you an account of Mr. Walker. He was born 
 near Petersburg, Va., July 15th, 1847; enlisted in Confederate 
 Army, March 7th, 1862, and served in the President s Guard 
 around Richmond about one year; was then transferred to the 
 Second Maryland Cavalry, commanded by Major Harry Gilmor, 
 and served in the Shenandoah Valley until captured by the 
 "Pennsylvania Bucktails," May 26th, 1864; was taken to Point 
 Lookout and held prisoner eight months and then paroled. Since 
 the war he has resided in Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 EDWIN CHURCH. 
 
 Walker s Statement 
 
 Sometime early in the year 1864 January, as I remember 
 while on picket duty near Winchester, Va., the first incident of 
 my story occurred. I was standing in a clump of trees and 
 bushes near the bank of the Opequan Creek, beside my horse, 
 carbine in readiness for any alarm, when I heard a faint "Hello" 
 from another clump of bushes not far distant in my front. I 
 was at once on the qui vive for business. It was a clear, cold 
 morning, and as I listened intently, watching closely the bushes 
 in front of me about a hundred yards, where we knew the Yankee 
 pickets were stationed, again came the hello, and cautiously 
 from under the shadow of the trees came three men seemingly 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 201 
 
 without arms dressed in what afterwards proved to be a mixed 
 uniform of blue and gray. Seeing them waving a white rag, I 
 ordered them to come forward, one at a time. After a short talk 
 with them I found them to be from the Union cavalry, who 
 stated they were tired of the war, fighting for negroes, etc., and 
 wished to be sent to Richmond. 
 
 I was much taken with the spokesman of the party, who was a 
 good-looking and very intelligent young man, about twenty-two 
 or three years of age, with bright eyes and face. I finally took 
 them back to the headquarters and turned them over to Major 
 Gilmor, of the Second Maryland Cavalry. He questioned them 
 closely, and finally ordered me to take them up the valley to 
 Staunton and turn them over to the provost marshal, J. Q. C. 
 Naidenbush. 
 
 Just at that time I was expecting a short furlough or "horse 
 detail." I obtained it and started for Hanover County, Virginia, 
 near Old Church, about sixteen miles from Richmond, with the 
 three prisoners in my charge. We were soon on our way next 
 morning, after an early and not very elaborate menu of rancid 
 bacon and corn pone, with coffee made from roasted acorns (don t 
 smile; this was a good breakfast compared to some we had). We 
 were soon off, the stage rattling up the pike containing at least 
 two hearts filled with buoyancy, for my companion (as I had 
 learned to call the spokesman formerly alluded to) was an exceed 
 ingly congenial and companionable fellow, who, by his engaging 
 manner and his pleasant conversational powers soon ingratiated 
 himself into my good opinion, and we felt as if we were old college 
 chums who had met again after a long separation. How little 
 did I think that my congenial companion was one of the most 
 famous and daring young cavalry officers of the Union Army, 
 who was in our lines on one of the most dangerous and hazardous 
 errands a soldier could be engaged in. But to my story : Arriving 
 at Staunton, I proceeded direct to the headquarters of the provost 
 marshal, Colonel Naidenbush, who paroled them, under oath of 
 allegiance to the Confederate States, I think. Upon this point I 
 will not be positive, yet it seems to me that must have been the 
 only means by which they could be released to go where they 
 choose. After a few hours in Staunton, spent in making ourselves 
 more presentable in the way of clothing, etc., my companion and 
 
202 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 myself bade good-bye to the other two men, who remained in 
 Staunton, and we were soon on a train bound for Richmond. I 
 intending to remain there over night and go out to my home on 
 the Topopotomoy Creek, in Hanover County the next morning. 
 
 To shorten my story, my companion accompanied me to my 
 home. I had formed such an attachment for him that I felt loath 
 to part with him, and I extended the invitation, which was at 
 once accepted. We reached home the next morning, and I feel 
 sure that he never forgot the cordial and homelike reception 
 accorded him in that old Virginia farmhouse. Lieutenant 
 Murray (his assumed name) soon endeared himself to all of us 
 father, mother and three brothers as he had already to myself, 
 and joined heartily in the sociabilities of the neighborhood, 
 visiting with me wherever I went, and being a brilliant talker, 
 with gentlemanly manners, he always found a welcome. I had 
 noticed on several occasions when dancing was enjoyed, he always 
 declined. How vividly I could recall and remember a short time 
 later why he did not and why he would not share my room with 
 me, and on one bracing morning refused to accept my banter for 
 a short race up the lane. I did not know that the poor fellow 
 had but one foot, the other being a splendid imitation made of 
 ivory. I must mention that during his stay at my home he paid 
 two visits to Richmond, and in some plausible manner obtained 
 a permit from General Winder, who was then provost marshal 
 of Richmond, and who seems had as much confidence in him as I 
 had, to visit the fortifications and other points around the city, 
 and which pass I was told by himself on his return he made good 
 use of. He also on two or three occasions went to the Old Church 
 Tavern and postoffice, ostensibly to get mail. He was in corre 
 spondence with his mother, I believe, and received several letters 
 from Belair, Hartford County, Maryland, while with us. He 
 often expressed himself as having "two mothers," as mine had 
 been so kind to him as if he were one of her own sons. He was 
 attacked with chills and fever, the prevailing disease of that 
 section, and it was my dear mother s nursing that restored him. 
 A day or two after his recovery, he again visited Old Church 
 and never returned. But I must digress a little. During one of 
 our visits in the neighborhood, he was introduced to a very esti 
 mable and cultivated young lady, Miss S. K. H., who, strange to 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 203 
 
 say, doubted him from the first moment she was in his company, 
 and I have in my possession a letter from her advising and 
 warning me against him. How strangely her suspicions were 
 verified will be shown later in my story. I began to feel now 
 that his visits to Richmond were for the purpose of learning all 
 he could of the city. Just after he disappeared, General Kil- 
 patrick made a raid through our neighborhood, and again, 
 strange to relate, our farm was not visited or disturbed, and after 
 events assured me that this immunity was due to my companion. 
 Lieutenant Murray; also his visits to Old Church, which was on 
 the main road to the Peninsula and the route General Kilpatrick 
 was supposel to take, were for the purpose of holding communica 
 tions with him by signal. 
 
 Some days afterwards, it may have been a week or more 1 
 cannot remember the dates now a daring raid was made upon 
 Richmond by Kilpatrick and Ulric Dahlgren, presumably for 
 the purpose of capturing Jefferson Davis and his cabinet, and on 
 the night of the memorable first day of March, on the banks of 
 the Mattopony River, Colonel Dahlgren and a small body of his 
 men became separated from the main body of his command and 
 in the darkness of night ran into a body of Confederate cavalry 
 commanded by Captain Pollard, of Richmond, who fired a volley, 
 killing Colonel Dahlgren, some of his staff and several of his 
 men. 
 
 Now comes the sad sequel to my story; the body of the brave, 
 but unfortunate, young colonel was captured and taken to Rich 
 mond, and, I believe, embalmed, but I never learned what became 
 of his body. (Would be glad if any reader of this article can 
 give me the information.) While his body was lying in Rich 
 mond, one of the first to visit it was Miss S. K. H., of Hanover, 
 who at one glance identified the body as that of poor Murray, 
 my prisoner, my companion, and my friend. My father, uncle, 
 and others who had seen him, also identified the body as that of 
 my friend, Lieutenant Murray. I shall always believe that he 
 was a true friend at heart, though an enemy in disguise, and as I 
 look back into the dim vista of those past dark days of blood and 
 strife, when brother was fighting brother, I shall never forget 
 my feelings of bitter sorrow and regret when I heard the news. 
 I was then with my command and could not see him. 
 
204 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 It may be said he was a spy, and that he imposed to some extent 
 upon the hospitalities and confidence of his friends, but I have 
 never felt in my heart an unkind memory for lym. Was not our 
 noble patriot, Nathan Hale, a spy, and yet a trusted friend of our 
 glorious Washington? Was not the brave, unfortunate Andre a 
 spy, and though an enemy, a brave and chivalric one ? And does 
 it not seem to require a brave, courageous spirit to embark upon 
 such desperate enterprises, one who will dare and die, if need be, 
 for the cause he espouses and which he deems right? And I 
 recall just here one of my own comrades of my own command, 
 poor Andy Leopold, who was hung in the old Capitol prison at 
 Washington for the same offense; as all seems fair in love and 
 war, he, poor fellow r , dared and died for the cause that he loved. 
 
 Was not poor Murray (I shall always remember him by that 
 name) just as brave and chivalrous? Why should not I, his 
 friend, drop a silent tear in his memory and earnestly trust in the 
 hope that a just and merciful Providence will give us a happy 
 reunion in that Eternal Camping Ground above the stars, where 
 the martyred loved ones who have passed on before us are 
 awaiting the last bugle call to welcome us to a home where there 
 are no wars and no tears? 
 
 On the night above mentioned, when Colonel Dahlgren was 
 killed, General Hampton took three hundred men from Butler s 
 Cavalry and one gun from Hart s Battery and routed Kilpatrick 
 with his fresh troops at two o clock in the morning. The Yankees 
 were badly demoralized, and Colonel Dahlgren, alias Lieutenant 
 Murray, rode right into our cavalry, and, of course, lost his life. 
 A good spy will never surrender. 
 
 After the dismal failure of Kilpatrick to capture our President 
 he was displaced and Sheridan put in command of the Union 
 cavalry in Virginia U. R. BROOKS. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 205 
 
 BATTLE OF BETHESDA CHURCH 
 
 On the morning of the 25th May, 1864, General M. C. Butler, 
 whose new brigade had recently arrived from the seacoast of 
 South Carolina, was directed to establish a strong picket post at 
 Knowles Crossroads in front of General Early s Division, sta 
 tioned near Bethesda Church, in front of Richmond. General 
 Butler ordered Colonel B. H. Rutledge. of the Fourth South 
 Carolina Cavalry, to report with two squadrons to General Early 
 for instructions as to the location of the picket post at or near the 
 Cross Roads. 
 
 Colonel Rutledge was unfamiliar with the country and rather 
 complicated military field maps, and, therefore, naturally could 
 not understand from General Early the situation, or where he was 
 expected to go, consequently he returned to General Butler, 
 informing him of his dilemma, requesting that some one else be 
 sent to General Early, who was somewhat rough and impatient 
 at his not being able to understand the country from the map. 
 General Early could "cuss," and did "cuss." Colonel Rutledge 
 could "cuss" too, but General Early out "cussed" him. 
 
 The staff and couriers realized that there would soon be 
 "music in the air." General Butler rode out in person, evidently 
 a good deal provoked at the way Colonel Rutledge had been 
 treated. Butler had served with Early before, and knew how to 
 take him. Besides, he was fond of General Butler, and the 
 friendship was reciprocated, and he took General Butler s "cuss 
 ing" like a little man. 
 
 They met in the turnpike, both mounted, near General Early s 
 headquarters, and we heard substantially the following exchange 
 of compliments : 
 
 Butler : "General Early, I have been ordered to picket in front 
 of your division at Knowles Cross Roads, and if you don t assist 
 me in getting to the position I will take this cavalry back to camp 
 and you can go to - and do your own picketing." 
 
 No use to tell all that General Butler said. 
 
 Early: "Well, get down, Butler; get down, and we will talk 
 it over." 
 
206 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 The two generals dismounted and got straddle of a log, each 
 with a military field map. Before beginning to examine it, 
 Early said: "Butler, wouldn t you like to have. a drink? 1 Butler 
 replied : "Well, yes ; it s about the time of day that a cavalryman 
 enjoys a little something." And they "smiled" at each other 
 from a canteen produced by General Early. Then they pro 
 ceeded to business, facing each other straddle of a log with maps 
 before them, Early explaining the position of his own troops, 
 and, as well as he could, the location of the enemy. Butler soon 
 caught on, bid Early adieu, mounted his beautiful gray horse, 
 and moved with the two squadrons on the road to the crossroads. 
 
 We had not proceeded far beyond Early s lines before we ran 
 up against a strong force of Yankee infantry. Having been 
 ordered to picket at Knowles Cross Roads, Butler, as usual, made 
 up his mind to get there, if he had to fight every step of the way. 
 The result was he "bucked up against" the infantry obstacles in 
 his path, and from about two o clock in the afternoon until dark, 
 with a mere handful of dismounted cavalry, we kept up as severe 
 a conflict as was ever waged. 
 
 General Butler had sent to General Early for reinforcements, 
 and towards sunset Terry s Infantry Brigade moved up to our 
 support. General Butler directed him (Terry) to swing his 
 brigade around to our right, and after a short engagement the 
 Yankees retired. * 
 
 Generals Early and Ramseur, of North Carolina, rode up 
 between sunset and dusk. The former, always fond of chaffing 
 the cavalry, remarked, "Well, Ramseur, I told you as soon as the 
 infantry appeared the Yanks would travel." 
 
 Butler interposed: "Infantry be d d. Here we have been 
 fighting all the afternoon as infantry against about ten to one, 
 and you have been lounging back there in the woods almost 
 within sight smoking your pipes while we have been catching the 
 devil." 
 
 General Ramseur, a striking, handsome, dashing-looking young 
 man with a record as a soldier as good as the best of them, 
 laughed very heartily at this "passage at arms" between two 
 friends. I am inclined to think there was another "smile," but 
 the fighting was all over. During the warmest progress of our 
 fight a few men of the squadrons would break away from our line 
 
BUTLER AXD His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 207 
 
 of battle for a short distance when the blue coats would charge 
 us. General Butler directed Major John R. Blocker of his staff 
 to dismount in rear of our line, draw his sword and cut down the 
 first man who left his post. The gallant Major Blocker imme 
 diately dismounted and sent his superb sorrel horse "George" to 
 the rear, and moved up and dowm immediately in rear of our 
 line, announcing his intention to kill the first man who moved 
 from his position until ordered. He stepped out into the turn 
 pike and received a minnie ball in his thigh which shattered the 
 bone. He was carried into Richmond to the Jackson Hospital, 
 where he died in three or four days. 
 
 Major Blocker, when the war broke out, was a cadet at West 
 Point, in the second or third class, resigned and joined the Con 
 federate service and was captured at Roanoke, N. C., in February, 
 1862, but was paroled and in the summer of the same year was 
 exchanged, and before the exchange of prisoners was consumated 
 he reported to General Henry A. Wise, who said that there was 
 no use for him to report for duty for at least thirty days, but 
 remarked, "I knew the lieutenant would come." In the early 
 spring of 1864 he was promoted to the rank of major and assigned 
 to duty under General M. C. Butler, who put him in charge of his 
 skirmish line. Major Blocker met the fate of so many of the 
 best young men of the South. But his case was peculiarly a sad 
 one. He had recently married a charming daughter of Edge- 
 field, the beautiful and accomplished Miss Emma Nicholson, with 
 every prospect of happiness, when he was cut down in the hey 
 day of life on the field of battle. 
 
 Our loss in killed and wounded was otherwise heavy. 
 
 A strange thing happened that day, among the other stirring 
 incidents that I have related. As I have stated, General Butler 
 was on his handsome gray horse, a short time before presented to 
 him by his college chum and friend Dick Gist, of Union, S. C. 
 We captured a prisoner on the Yankee skirmish line belonging. 
 as I now remember, to a Maine regiment. Nat Butler got into 
 conversation with the prisoner, w T ho inquired w r ho that was on the 
 gray horse. On being informed it w T as General Butler, he said: 
 "I shot at that man six times," and described every position the 
 general had taken during the fight. The staff couriers, orderlies, 
 escort, everybody whose duty it was to accompany General Butler, 
 
208 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 offered to chip in and buy him a horse of a different color, if he 
 would not ride the gray again. The poor animal was killed 
 under the general in the very next fight, one of four horses that 
 met the same fate during the war. He was the most graceful 
 rider in the Army of Northern Virginia two years with two legs 
 and two years with one leg of his own and the other he bought, 
 which was shot, and he said with a smile on his face that he 
 really did not feel the bullet when it went through his right leg 
 (which was wood). Besides these four horses killed under him, 
 he had a handsome deep bay wounded by a canister shot in the 
 hind leg, but he got well. 
 
 It was curious to note the difference in the demeanor of horses 
 in battle, as in men. This bay horse did not appear at all alarmed 
 at the fire of artillery, but the whiz of a minnie ball demoralized 
 and almost made him frantic, so much so that the general had 
 to give him up. 
 
 And poor old "bench legs," as the men used to call the chestnut 
 horse ridden by the general, was disemboweled by the same 
 twelve-pound shell that tore off his rider s leg at Brandy Station, 
 9th June, 1863, could be ridden right into a battery of artillery 
 in full play without manifesting any emotion, but the whiz zip 
 sound through the air of a bullet upset him completely. 
 
 But to return to our narrative, we did not reach Knowles Cross 
 Roads, for the next day Early s Division was moved to the right. 
 Soon after this came old Cold Harbor, and other desperate strug 
 gles made by General Grant to turn General Lee s right some 
 thing he never accomplished. 
 
 "I wish to be knpwn for just what I was 
 When I rise up at the judgment day ! 
 I wish them to say: There s an old Confed, 
 
 And he s wearing the same old gray. 
 I never was ashamed of it yet, and that s 
 
 Not all I never shall be! 
 For the proudest years of my life, at last 
 Were the years when I followed Lee." 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 209 
 
 BATTLE OF HAWES SHOP 
 
 Carl ton McCarthy says that the arms and ammunition of the 
 Federal soldiers were abundant and good so abundant and so 
 good that they supplied both armies, and were greatly preferred 
 by Confederate officers. That the Confederate soldiers fought the 
 trained army officers and the regular troops of the United States 
 Army, assisted by splendid native volunteer soldiers, besides 
 swarms of hirelings white, black, olive and brown gathered 
 from every quarter of the earth by steamer loads. The Confederate 
 soldier laid down life for life with his hireling host, who died for 
 pay, mourned by no one, missed by no one, loved by no one ; who 
 were better fed and clothed, fatter, happier, and more contented in 
 the army than ever they were at home, and whose graves strew the 
 earth in lonesome places where none go to weep. When one of 
 these fell, two could be bought to fill the gap. The Confederate 
 soldier killed these without compunction, and their comrades 
 buried them without a tear. 
 
 On the 28th May, 1864, the battle of Hawes Shop was fought. 
 My comrade and distinguished friend, Mr. Edward L. Wells, 
 scholar, author and historian, and gallant soldier, says: 
 
 "When Hampton encountered Sheridan s advance guard he 
 drove it in upon the main body, which he then vigorously attacked 
 with Wickham s and Rosser s brigades, and soon the two regi 
 ments of Butler s brigade were put in on Wickham s right. Thus 
 Rosser was on the left, Wickham in the centre, and Butler s two 
 regiments on the right, the Fourth South Carolina Cavalry 
 occupying the extreme right. W. H. F. Lee s division was sent 
 by a road leading to the left in the hope of turning the Federal 
 right flank, but this proved impracticable, and he could only use 
 the artillery and cover Rosser s left. The Federals were at first 
 pressed back, having their second division, General Gregg com 
 manding, engaged, but being reinforced from the first division 
 they held their ground. It was discovered also from infantry pris 
 oners that the Federal infantry in force were just behind their 
 cavalry on the south bank of the Pamunkey River, in supporting 
 distance. It was evidently, therefore, useless to pursue the fight 
 
 14 B. C. 
 
210 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 further, the object of the reconnoissance being gained on obtain 
 ing this information. 
 
 "The order was consequently given to withdraw from in front 
 of the combined cavalry and infantry. This was effected without 
 difficulty by Rosser, and in excellent style. Wickham s brigade 
 was also got out promptly. But the two regiments of Butler s 
 brigade did not fare so well. The engagement took place in a 
 thick wood with much dense under cover. This was an advantage 
 to the Confederates, who availed themselves of the trees and logs 
 and inequalities in the ground for protection, and could thus 
 obtain the benefit of their greater skill in shooting. They were 
 doing good execution from their long rifles with terrible minnies, 
 and had no idea they were intended to leave their position. More 
 over, the denseness of the cover, together with the smoke, much 
 increased the difficulty of passing along the line the order to fall 
 back. So it happened that these regiments became flanked and 
 suffered considerably. General Hampton, perceiving that some 
 thing was wrong, rode in and brought them out in good order, 
 and formed them two or three hundred yards back across an open 
 field, where a thrown down fence afforded some protection. Here 
 they awaited their friends the enemy, but the latter had enough 
 and did not advance. The presence of Hampton, calm, cool and 
 reassuring, had braced up every one. They never doubted when 
 he told them so. And his kind words to them that night just 
 before dismounting at camp, and his concern for their casualties, 
 dwelt in their memories ever afterwards. 
 
 "There was a squadron of the Fourth South Carolina on the 
 extreme right which suffered more than the others. Couriers sent 
 to order them out were killed, and consequently they received no 
 instructions to fall back, and being separated by thick cover from 
 the rest, remained continuing to fight on as before. At length the 
 right company (Company K, Charleston Light Dragoons) was 
 surrounded on three sides, perceiving which, Lieutenant Nowell, 
 in commanS, gave the order to retreat. This they did coolly, 
 fighting their way through at close quarters in good order and 
 successfully took position in good shape on the right of their 
 reformed regimental line. Out of forty-seven dismounted men 
 taken in, they lost nineteen and an officer, and only one 
 unwounded prisoner, a youth only eighteen years of age. As, 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 211 
 
 however, they were very good shots with both rifle and pistol, 
 and did not fire in wild volleys, but singly and coolly in sports 
 manlike style, it is not at all unlikely the company inflicted three 
 casualties for every one received. 
 
 "The spirit existing among them may be judged by the follow 
 ing incident. One of their number had been shot through the 
 arm, and obliged, therefore, to drop his rifle, but he had come 
 out with the others, holding his pistol in his sound hand. Some 
 one offered to relieve him of the pistol, but he declined, saying: 
 I want that to shoot a surgeon, and all who heard the remark 
 laughed. As a matter of fact he retained the pistol in the hos 
 pital, and arm too. Poor boys ! No one ever fought better, but their 
 ranks suffered heavily, far more than any other company engaged. 
 But not far wrong were our pagan ancestors, who believed the 
 souls of those who bravely fell in honorable battle were trans 
 ported at once, all sins forgiven, to Valhalla. Surely the Chris 
 tian s God could do no less. 
 
 "The character of the fighting done in this engagement may, 
 perhaps, be best judged by the impression it produced on the Fed 
 erals who witnessed it. General Custer refers to Butler s brigade, 
 which took into the fight less than one thousand dismounted men, 
 as consisting of seven large regiments, principally from South 
 Carolina, and says of his own brigade, Our loss was greater than 
 in any other engagement of the campaign. We held our position 
 until after dark, when we were relieved by the infantry. Colonel 
 Kester, First New Jersey Cavalry, reports to the governor of his 
 State that the battle was the severest cavalry fighting of the war. 
 The enemy was a new brigade from South Carolina, and was 
 very formidable. Alger, Fifth Michigan Cavalry, says it was 
 an obstinate resistance, fighting our men hand to hand. General 
 Da vies, in his Life of Sheridan, writes : Much of the very stub 
 born resistance exhibited in this action was due to the presence 
 in the field of the troops from South Carolina referred to. This 
 brigade, raised in South Carolina at the beginning of the war, 
 had never before left that State nor had seen any active service, 
 and when, with full ranks, and weapons and uniforms all fresh 
 and untarnished by war or service, they joined the veterans who 
 had been for three years exposed to the losses and trials of active 
 duty in the field, their reception was not of the warmest, and it 
 
212 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 was not thought that much could be expected from them. The 
 existence of this prejudice, and their own desire to show them 
 selves at least the equals of their comrades, caused them to exhibit 
 a desperate courage in this, their first engagement; and, as was 
 said by veterans on both sides, they were too inexperienced to 
 know when they had suffered defeat, and continued to resist long 
 after it was apparent that the position they held was turned and 
 efforts to maintain it were hopeless. A staff officer of Sheridan s 
 has stated, to the writer s personal knowledge, that his general 
 was very much worried over the losses his command had sustained 
 in this action, which he said were the heaviest he had ever 
 suffered, in proportion to the number engaged. He remarked: 
 It is the first time we have met those Carolinians of Butler s, and 
 I wish to God it might be the last. In his official report he says 
 that the Confederate force appeared to be the cavalry corps and 
 a brigade of South Carolina troops 4,000 strong and armed with 
 long-range rifles, commanded by a Colonel Butler. These Caro 
 linians fought very gallantly in this, their first fight, judging 
 from the number of their dead and wounded and prisoners cap 
 tured. It should be remembered that fighting on the part of the 
 Confederates was done by two brigades and two regiments of 
 South Carolina troops, the latter numbering less than 1,000 
 instead of 4,000 as stated. He speaks of it as an unequal contest, 
 and so it was, but in a sense opposite to that intended by him. 
 He also adds that the battle was fought almost immediately in 
 front of the infantry line of our army, which was busily occupied 
 throwing up breastworks. This accounts for the fact that 
 infantry prisoners were captured by Hampton, and would seem 
 to prove that they must have been engaged. These, among many 
 similar quotations which might be given, sufficiently illustrate 
 what was thought of Butler s long shooters, the withdrawal 
 being made, as a matter of course, after the enemy s position was 
 developed and the fact was established that the brigades of 
 Rosser, Wickham and two regiments of Butler were attacking the 
 combined cavalry and infantry of the Army of the Potomac. 
 
 "This reconnoissance, made in pursuance of orders from Lee, 
 was perfectly successful in its chief and all-important object- 
 ascertaining clearly the position of the Federal infantry. It was 
 one of the steps in the manoeuvres of Lee leading up to Cold 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 213 
 
 Harbor, and as that battle was a decisive victory for the Confed 
 erates, the preliminaries must have been successfully managed by 
 Hampton, both in demonstrating the movements of the Federal 
 infantry and cavalry and in veiling those of his own army. Per 
 haps had Sheridan, possessing such superiority in numbers and 
 equipment, refrained from the fruitless excursion to Richmond 
 and confined his efforts more closely to the normal functions of 
 the cavalry of a great army, the battle of the Wilderness and 
 Spottsylvania might have had different results for his friends. 
 It is said by one writer that his Richmond raid came about from 
 its being reported to General Grant by Meade that Sheridan had 
 said he could beat Hampton s cavalry if permitted to act inde 
 pendently, upon which General Grant replied: Does he say that? 
 Then let him go and do it. He went, but did not do it, and in 
 the meantime left his army groping in the dark. 
 
 "The engagement at Hawes Shop gave a serious experience to 
 the Federal cavalry, one which they never forgot, and they 
 courted no renewals of similar contests. It also increased the 
 prestige of Hampton s Cavalry with the infantry of their own 
 army, and many kindly greetings came from those veterans to the 
 new comers during the following few days."* 
 
 In the latter part of the summer of 1864 a Confederate colonel 
 who had just been captured was questioned by General Sheridan, 
 who was walking back and forth pulling his mustache in an 
 excited manner. Finally he asked the Confederate officer if he 
 knew General M. C. Butler, and, being answered in the affirma 
 tive, said : "That damned man has caused me more trouble than 
 all the rest of the Rebel cavalry put together." 
 
 My old comrade, J. Lawson Walker, of Company B, Fourth 
 South Carolina Cavalry, Captain Barber s company, Colonel 
 B. A. Rutlege s regiment, reminds me in his letter of date 26th 
 August, 1907, of how the last of our hard-tack and raw meat was 
 devoured on Friday, the 10th June, and that we got nothing more 
 to eat until Monday, the 13th June, 1864, and how Nealy Grant 
 drove a two-horse wagon in a gallop just behind our line of 
 
 *The above is taken from "Hampton and His Cavalry in 1864," by Ed 
 ward L. Wells. 
 
214 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 battle at Trevillian, throwing out ammunition to the men on the 
 afternoon of the 12th June. We were about out of cartridges 
 and were prepared to repulse the next charge with rocks. Nealy 
 Grant was one of the heroes of this terrible fight and died 10th 
 September, 1907, at his home in Chester County, S. C., eighty- 
 seven years old. General Butler ordered him to go, and he ac 
 complished this remarkable feat and escaped through a perfect 
 hail of bullets. Butler s cavalry repulsed seven distinct charges 
 that afternoon. Battery M, of the United States Regulars, and 
 Hart s Battery had a regular duel over our heads about dark. I 
 really thought it was the grandest sight that I had ever witnessed. 
 Battery M was demolished. 
 
 The grandfather of the able and courteous city editor of The 
 State was the Rev. William Banks, who was the chaplain of the 
 Fourth South Carolina Cavalry. The reverend Mr. Banks was 
 captured by a squad of Yankees in 1864. The reverend gentleman 
 was wearing a very nice suit of clothes and had a very fine horse 
 called Chester. The Yanks appropriated everything he had, then 
 dressed him up in an old filthy Yankee private s uniform with an 
 old blue cap that was so small he could scarcely make it stay on 
 his head. When Mr. Banks was thus clad they placed him upon 
 an old mule and turned him loose, as it was against the rules of 
 war to retain chaplains in captivity. 
 
 One of the most fearless and coolest boys in the Fifth South 
 Carolina Cavalry is my life-long friend Glenn E. Davis, the city 
 sheriff of Charleston. When we wore the gray we slept under the 
 same blanket upon the cold, wet ground; we have been together 
 when bullets were singing; were young boys then, are old men 
 now ; were friends then, are friends now. 
 
 Glenn Davis was one of the best shots with a pistol I have ever 
 seen. When Sherman was marching through North Carolina, 
 Glenn had about seven men and they charged twenty-five "bum 
 mers," who were fixing to burn a house after they had stolen 
 everything in it. The Yanks, acting on the principle that a guilty 
 conscience needs no accuser, and had been deaf to the cries of 
 the women and children through Georgia and the Carol inas, 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 215 
 
 broke and ran for life when they heard the "Rebel yell." Our 
 boys killed several of them. Glenn Davis looked back in the 
 direction of the house and galloped back, leaving his party, and 
 found three horses still hitched to the porch railings of the house, 
 and just as he came within a few yards of same a Yankee, seeing 
 that he w r as alone, came out of the front door and jumped behind 
 a pillar of the porch, firing at Davis with his pistol. He shot 
 three times and missed. Davis could not get a fair shot at him 
 until he ventured to put his head out a little for the fourth shot, 
 when Davis got his first pull, a lucky one, too, taking him just 
 above the ear. So when the squad got back to the house there 
 were three more horses for our cavalry and one Yankee less in 
 Sherman s Army. There was not a soldier so proud of his regi 
 ment, the Fifth South Carolina Cavalry, as was Glenn Davis, and 
 his admiration for our dashing Major-General Butler was beau 
 tiful. He used to say that Marshal Ney could not be compared to 
 him. When I think of these General Dunovant s old couriers 
 Glenn Davis, Postell Mood, Ben Raysor and Flynn Davis, friends 
 of my youth, I am reminded that 
 
 "Friendship! mysterious cement of the soul! 
 Sweetner of life ! and solder of society !" 
 
216 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 A FEW LETTERS 
 
 Confederate States of America, 
 War Department, Ordnance Bureau. 
 
 Richmond, May 23rd, 1864. 
 
 Colonel Hugh K. Aiken to Major Tom Ferguson. 
 
 Dear Major: I trust all arrangements have been properly 
 carried out for your command as far as the junction Burks ville. 
 You must draw there three (3) days rations, which will do you to 
 Richmond. Send Gibbes off as soon as he issues the rations to 
 you. Come Wednesday to where you can get forage fifteen or 
 even twenty miles. Thursday, I will send you forage from here 
 if you get to Richmond, or will send me word where you will be. 
 On Friday you will camp near the James River, at a place called 
 Manchester, just opposite Richmond, where the regiment will 
 remain until all arrive here are entirely equipped. We are much 
 needed here will go into service at once. We are very much 
 censured for the delay. General Butler has issued orders to the 
 colonels to report what has become of the respective regiments 
 each day since the order was received. Prepare a report account 
 ing for each day as I have written upon the back. Make the 
 company officers have a requisition ready for me, soon as they 
 arrive here, for everything they may want. They will also be 
 required to account for all ordnance stores heretofore drawn. Be 
 careful not to let men ride horses with sore backs. Come on in 
 good order and be on the lookout all the way. Instruct your 
 advance guard to keep near the wagon trains. Send a man ahead 
 of you Thursday and Friday to report to me at "ordnance office," 
 enquiring for Colonel A. I look for Colonel Miller tonight and 
 nightly until he comes. No news here. General Lee has fallen 
 back to Hanover, and the fight, is supposed, will come off near 
 Richmond. Send Gibbes on here by Wednesday or Thursday. 
 Tell Willie Rob Taft is dead. Nelson s battalion lost very heavily. 
 Captain Brooks lost seventy-one men out of eighty ; came out with 
 nine men, he wounded in three places. General Walker lost his 
 
COLONEL HUGH K. AIKEN 
 
218 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 foot. Maloney lost two horses shot, Hagood one, Tracey one and 
 Martin one. My regards to all. 
 
 Yours, et.^ 
 
 H. K. AIKEN. 
 
 Lancaster, S. C., July 14th, 1908. 
 Colonel U. R. Brooks, Columbia, S. C. 
 
 My Dear Colonel: I do greatly enjoy your sketches in the 
 Sunday State, and have traveled with you again over the cam 
 paign of 1864 with its varied memories. I am glad that you have 
 undertaken this work, because you participated in making the 
 history that you are writing and know that it is true ; though, I 
 I agree with you entirely that one person could not see it all, who 
 was a participant in the field, and could only see what was taking 
 place around him. I hope there are still left enough of assistants 
 to get the correct data for your historical sketches. In your 
 description of that "feeling" skirmish at Cold Harbor on the 30th 
 of May, I think you said there was some confusion about the order 
 of retreat, which there was, and I think I can give some informa 
 tion on that point and show (if it were needed) the character of 
 our general as a cool and fearless leader of men. As I was about 
 the last to get back to our led horses, when I got there and got 
 mounted my bugler, who was my horse-holder, told me that the 
 regiment had gone, that Colonel Stokes had gone, and unless we 
 started right away we would not be able to overtake them. But as 
 I saw General Butler on the field some fifty yards distant, I told 
 my bugler, no, we had better wait and see if Butler needed us. 
 Shortly after this General Butler beckoned me to come to him, 
 when he told me to take my men (some fifteen or twenty) and 
 the other scattered troops that were there, throw them into column 
 of fours facing toward the field we had just left, and to let the 
 rear of the column be covered by the woods just in our rear. I did 
 so and had not more than got to the head of the column and taken 
 my place before we heard the Yankees coming at a trot or half 
 gallop, their sabres and iron stirrups making a considerable 
 clanking, from which I guessed there was about a brigade of them. 
 General Butler sat there in twenty or thirty paces of us, perfectly 
 cool, and when the Yankee brigade had cleared the woods in front 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 219 
 
 of us, by about two files in column of fours, gave the order "Draw 
 saber," and afterwards, "Show them the steel." The order was 
 promptly obeyed and we heard in the charging brigade the 
 orders, "Halt! Halt!" which were also promptly obeyed, and 
 with our general at our head, sabre in hand, we sat there and 
 dared them until they headed column to the rear and moved out 
 of our sight, leaving us to retire in good order at will, back to the 
 main body of our troops at Old Cold Harbor. 
 
 When the memorable stampede took place just about dark the 
 same evening, Colonel Rutledge, with the remainder of the regi 
 ment that had not gone with Colonel Stokes, were about to go into 
 bivouac in the old field at the Cross Roads. On hearing the rush 
 ing, it was supposed of a cavalry charge, we quickly mounted and 
 were drawn up in single file in front of the Fifth Regiment, 
 where we awaited the charge, ready to do what we could. A 
 riderless horse passed our front in a mad gallop, and I have 
 always thought that he was fired at by a dismounted man, who at 
 the time shouted "Yankee!" and ran across the road into the 
 timber. The next day Colonel Stokes, with the body of the regi 
 ment, joined us. It seems that he, not knowing where our head 
 quarters would be, had bivouacked some further up the road 
 between Cold Harbor and Mechanicsville. How we were 
 employed between this time and the march to Trevillian, you 
 know better than I do. I had intended to give you my recollec 
 tions of the two days fight at Trevillian, but do not feel able 
 at this time to do so, but if desirable, will do so whenever I can, 
 and will give you any other information that I can. 
 
 I do not like to use the personal pronoun so much, but was 
 commander of the Fifth squadron, Companies "H" and "I," of 
 the Fourth South Carolina Cavalry, and cannot get along well 
 without it, but I hope you will excuse me of egotism, though at 
 the same time never held any position that I was or am prouder of. 
 Very respectfully, your friend and comrade, 
 
 J. C. FOSTER. 
 
220 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 State of Georgia 
 Treasury Department 
 
 Atlanta, Ga. : ^r 
 
 R. E. Park, Treasurer. 
 C. T. Furlow, Assistant. 
 
 June 24th, 1908. 
 General M. C. Butler, Edge-field, S. C. 
 
 My Dear General Butler : I wish to thank you for your kind 
 words in regard to my little sketch of the Twelfth Alabama 
 Infantry. The scene of part of my career in the Confederate 
 Army is located in the Valley of Virginia, and in the northern 
 part of the State, and I have had the privilege of seeing General 
 Hampton and yourself upon your splendid horses, both in my 
 estimation the very incarnation or impersonation of the God of 
 War, and I have sometimes been envious enough to wish that I 
 could be riding by your side instead of tramping along on foot. 
 Your kind words in regard to my sketch are highly appreciated 
 by me, and I thank you. The words were written "warm from 
 the heart and faithful to its fires." 
 
 With highest regards, 
 
 Most sincerely yours, 
 
 R. E. PARK. 
 
 Rockland, Maine, July 27th, 1908. 
 Colonel U. R. Brooks, Columbia, S. C. 
 
 Dear Old Comrade : For we are all comrades, whether we wore 
 the blue or the gray. A recent letter of mine was published in 
 the July issue of the Confederate Veteran. The sentiments 
 expressed therein have been kindly received by some of the old 
 boys who were on the firing line, and I am the recipient of several 
 excellent letters. One sent me a piece published in The State, 
 issue of July 19th, 1908. This has reference to a book you con 
 template getting out. I noticed in the article something about the 
 scenes that occurred at Gravelly Run, Dabney s Mill, etc. As I 
 was at that time connected with the Fifth Corps, there is a possi- 
 
A. I. MATHER 
 
222 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 bility that you and I were not far apart during those stirring 
 scenes. 
 
 Would like to shake hands with you and talk over old times. 
 What about your book? 
 
 The war ended with me at Appomattox, and I consider all the 
 old Confed. Yets, brothers and comrades always. 
 
 Most fraternally yours, 
 
 A. I. MATHER. 
 
 A. I. Mather, secretary, became a master Mason in 1865 and 
 served as worshipful master of Rockland Lodge from 1869 to 
 1872 and from 1884 to 1886. He has been secretary of the lodge 
 twelve years. He was deputy grand master for his district in 
 1888 and 1889. Mr. Mather was high priest of Temple chapter 
 in 1885 and 1886, received the order of high priesthood in 1887 
 and was grand master of the first veil in 1889. He was thrice 
 illustrious master of King Hiram Council in 1887 and 1888, and 
 in the grand council has served as conductor and captain of the 
 guard two terms each. He was eminent commander of Clare- 
 mont Commandery in 1906-7. Mr. Mather was the first in this 
 section of the State to petition for degrees in the Scottish Rite. 
 He was thrice potent master of Rockland Lodge of Perfection 
 two years and sovereign grand prince of Rockland council, 
 Princes of Jerusalem, four years. Mr. Mather is a florist. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 223 
 
 GREAT MEN PROFITABLE COMPANY 
 
 Thomas Carlyle says : "One comfort is, that great men, taken 
 up in any way, are profitable company. We cannot look, however 
 imperfectly, upon a great man without gaining something by him. 
 He is the living light fountain, which it is good and pleasant to be 
 near. The light enlightens, which has enlightened the darkness 
 of the world, and this not as a kindred lamp only, but as a natural 
 luminary shining by the gift of Heaven ; a flowing light fountain 
 as I say of native original insight of manhood and heroic noble 
 ness; in whose radiance all souls feel that it is well with them. 
 On any terms whatsoever you will not grudge to wander in such 
 neighborhood for a while." 
 
 When a battle was just begun one day in Virginia a certain 
 colonel rode up to General Hampton and said : "General, I am not 
 equal to the task. I have turned my regiment over to the next in 
 command." He was shaking like an aspen leaf. General Hamp 
 ton calmly said to him : "Colonel, you are a gentleman, and you 
 have heavy responsibilities. Now, return to your command and 
 be what Almighty God has made you a man." The very 
 presence of General Hampton seemed to inspire him, and he 
 returned at once to his command and fought gallantly through 
 the remainder of the war. But for the greatness of Hampton 
 what would have become of this gentleman, this colonel, and his 
 posterity ? 
 
 On the morning of the 27th October, 1864, about the break 
 of day, just as the battle of Burgess Mill commenced, General 
 Butler said some very soothing words to a private soldier who 
 was very badly frightened, and the advice calmed him perfectly 
 and he fought like a man the remainder of the day. 
 
 In all ages great men unite other men to them. It was wonder 
 ful how Hampton and Butler controlled the men under them. 
 
224 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 FIGHT AT MATADOQUIN AND TOTOPOMOI 
 CREEKS, 30TH MAY, 1864 
 
 A heavy engagement with the Yankees between Butler s and 
 Gary s Brigades on Matadoquin and Totopomoi Creeks and 
 Butler s Brigade at and near Old Cold Harbor next day was 
 most important to General Lee as developing General Grant s 
 movement to turn General Lee s right. 
 
 General Butler received the following order direct from Gen 
 eral Lee I have in my possession the original: 
 
 H. Q. A. N. V., 30th May, 1864, 8 A. M. 
 
 General : General Lee directs me to say that General Fitz. Lee has just 
 reported that the force of the enemy that was on our left at McKenzie s 
 Corner yesterday afternoon has withdrawn by the way it came by Doctor 
 Shelton s. The General thinks the enemy is moving around towards our 
 right, and desires that you will push some bold scouting parties up the 
 road in which your command is and endeavor to ascertain which way they 
 are going. You will extend this information to Colonel Gary and request 
 him to move up the roads he occupies, sending forward good scouting par 
 ties, and try to find out where the enemy is crossing. Use every prudent 
 means to find out which way the enemy are going. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 C. MARSHALL, 
 Lt. Col. & A. D. C. 
 Brigadier General Butler, Commanding, &c. 
 
 General Butler immediately on receipt of this order moved 
 with his brigade via Games Mill and Cold Harbor to execute it, 
 meantime extending the order to General Gary as directed. 
 
 He found the enemy s cavalry in strong force in the neighbor 
 hood of Matadoquin and Totopomoi Creeks. 
 
 Carrying out his instructions, he made a vigorous attack to 
 develop the strength of the enemy, if possible, ascertaining the 
 purpose and direction of their movement. We tried conclusions 
 with him for several hours and it appeared the Yankees were 
 heading for Cold Harbor. They brought up field artillery we 
 had none and gave us a good many doses of schrapnel besides 
 volleys and scattering shots from their repeating carbines, being 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 225 
 
 constantly reinforced during the afternoon. We gave in return 
 the best we had in the shop. The result was General Butler 
 withdrew his line and at one time there was a good deal of con 
 fusion covering in his retreat the strategic point of Cold Harbor. 
 The Yankees did not pursue very actively, so that we reached 
 Cold Harbor just before sunset. We halted and bivouacked for 
 the night. General Butler meantime informed General Lee of 
 the situation, w T ith a report of the fierce encounter he had had 
 with a largely superior force of the enemy. The result was 
 General Early was at Cold Harbor the next day w r ith his division 
 read} 7 for Grant s flank movement. For this important work 
 General R. E. Lee selected General M. C. Butler, because he knew 
 that Butler would do the right thing at the right time. General 
 Lee set a trap for Grant and Butler led him into it. Here is 
 General Butler s report: 
 
 Headquarters Cold Harbor, May 30, 1804. 
 
 General : I drove in the enemy s cavalry picket? at Baker s house at 2 
 o clock today, and encountered their main force at Matadoquin Creek and 
 after an engagement of about three hours was forced to retire by exhaus 
 tion of ammunition and largely superior numbers. I do not think they 
 had infantry, and from all I could learn I do not think they have infantry 
 moving down this side the Pamunky River. I will send scouts tonight and 
 endeavor to get between the Old Church Road and the river, and will 
 notify you of their reports. They have a large force of cavalry ; prisoners 
 say a corps. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 M. C. BUTLER, 
 Brigadier-General of Cavalry. 
 
 Here is another report from General Butler : 
 
 Headquarters Bottom s Bridge, 
 
 June 2, 1864, 1:30 P. M. 
 Major-General Fitz Lee, Commanding Cavalry Division. 
 
 General : The enemy has appeared at Bottom s Bridge ; they have as yet 
 developed nothing but pickets. Deserters of this morning say that a force 
 of infantry from Williamsburg is to cross at Bottom s Bridge. I have 
 scouts across and will forward information. I have some reason for 
 doubting the veracity of the deserters, and the genuineness of their inten 
 tions. One of your men reports a dust moving toward McClellan s Bridge. 
 Four German deserters, who came in early in the morning, do not confirm 
 altogether the reports of the last two. B. F. Butler seems certainly to 
 have joined Grant. Only two pieces of artillery have reported to me, and 
 
 15 B. c. 
 
226 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 I have them masked at Bottom s Bridge. I could probably hold the posi 
 tion for some time, but it would be well to reinforce it if practicable. In 
 order to facilitate communication between us, I would be obliged for four 
 or five men who know the country and where your headquarters are. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 M. C. BUTLER, 
 Brigadier-General Commanding. 
 
 The next day, the 3rd day of June following, occurred that 
 sanguinary battle of Second Cold Harbor, where Grant s losses 
 in a half hour s time amounted as reported to be thirteen thou 
 sand men. "Walk into my parlor said the spider (Lee) to the 
 fly (Grant.)" 
 
 It was here also that Grant s men refused to obey, when ordered 
 to assault General Lee s lines again, so completely demoralized 
 were they by the slaughter they had just suffered at the hands 
 of General Lee s "incomparable soldiers." See Wilkinson s His 
 tory, "A Yankee Soldier Who Heard the Order Given and Saw 
 it Disobeyed." Owing to the timely notice furnished General Lee 
 by General Butler on 30th May, of Grant s approach towards his 
 right at Cold Harbor, he did not succeed then or thereafter in 
 flanking "Mars Robert." He had to adopt General McClellan s 
 plan of getting to Richmond at last. It has been stated, if I am 
 not mistaken, officially stated, that General Lee killed, wounded 
 and captured in three weeks sixty-five thousand of Grant s men, 
 equal to the entire army under General Lee s command. The 
 Sixth Yankee Army Corps in three weeks lost twelve thousand 
 men out of thirty thousand. General Grant never maneuvered 
 no need to against one of the greatest military chieftains the 
 world has ever known. General Grant himself was a very great 
 master in the art of war, and it is no disparagement of his illus 
 trious career to say that if he had come upon the militarj 7 stage 
 in Virginia with his methods of hammering in 1862 and 1863, 
 when General Lee "knocked out" McClellan, Pope, McClellan 
 again, Burnside, Meade and Hooker, the chances are he would 
 have met a similar fate. In a paper read before the Military 
 Historical Society of Massachusetts, General Charles A. Whittier 
 otf the Union Army says : "The Army of Northern Virginia will 
 deservedly rank as the best which has existed on this continent, 
 suffering privations unknown to its opponents, it fought well from 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 227 
 
 the early Peninsula days to the surrender of that small remnant 
 at Appomattox. It seemed always ready, active, mobile. Without 
 doubt, it was composed of the best men of the South, rushing to 
 what they considered the defense of their country against a bitter 
 invader, and they took the places assigned, officer or private, and 
 fought until beaten by superiority of numbers. The North sent 
 no such army to the field, and its patriotism was of easier char 
 acter, etc." 
 
 But I am drifting into a field of conjecture. That night of the 
 30th of May, 1864, a very unfortunate and unnecessary stampede 
 occurred. General Butler had ordered a detail of thirty men 
 under a commissioned officer to picket in our front. The Yankees 
 had shown no disposition to follow us up that night, and it was 
 thought a comparatively small picket reserve only was necessary, 
 especially as we all were to "sleep with one eye open" in camp. 
 About the time the thirty men were ready to move, a captain of 
 a Georgia battalion that had just arrived from home for Young s 
 brigade rode up to General Butler at the head of his battalion, 
 and after introducing himself, requested him General Butler 
 to order a court to enquire into his, the captain s conduct, that 
 he had been at Games Mill all day in hearing of our guns and 
 had been directed by a colonel who he did not know to remain at 
 Games Mill, and that he wanted a court of enquiry. General 
 Butler informed him that he would be accommodated as to the 
 court, but he must go on picket with his battalion, that we were 
 all worn out and exhausted after the day s operations. There 
 upon the captain enquired of General Butler if there was a doc 
 tor anywhere near. General Butler asked him what he wanted 
 with a doctor, to which the captain replied he was feeling very 
 badly and would like to consult a doctor. Then the fur began to 
 fly. General Butler, with unmistakable emphasis, said "No, sir; 
 you have no use for a doctor tonight, you must go on picket and 
 if necessary see a doctor tomorrow, if you shall need one." The 
 impression made on the staff and couriers standing near that the 
 "Dominecker" had struck the captain and he wanted to plead sick 
 to get rid of the detail of picket duty. But he did not know his 
 man. General Butler then instructed the battalion commander, 
 with two squadrons, to move his command up the road beyond the 
 thirty men of his brigade, and return for instructions. The cap- 
 
228 BTTTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 tain accordingly returned, dismounted and was given his lesson as 
 follows: That he should move cautiously up the road towards 
 the enemy, throw out an advance guard of fifteen or twenty men 
 under a commissioned officer, to be preceded *by three or more 
 videttes riding some distance in front of his column ; that as soon 
 as his videttes were fired on by the Yankee videttes, as would most 
 likely be the case, he should halt his main column, keeping his 
 advance guard and videttes well to the front, and at daylight, 
 when he could see the surrounding country, either advance or 
 retire to an eligible position, according to the lay of the land, 
 and await orders, resisting as well as he could any attack of the 
 enemy, until we could get up to his relief, meantime reporting at 
 intervals during the night. 
 
 General Butler had given these same instructions in minute 
 detail to the lieutenant in command of the thirty men of his 
 brigade before the captain appeared on the scene. A short time 
 before the picket column started Colonel Robins of the Twenty- 
 fourth Virginia Cavalry rode down to our bivouac. Being a 
 veteran of many campaigns, a most accomplished soldier, and 
 not having been engaged that day, General Butler, feeling some 
 anxiety on account of the inexperience of the troops sent on 
 picket and the indisposition of the captain in command, requested 
 Colonel Robins to accompany them, see them located for the 
 night, etc., and report back to him. Colonel Robins very cheer 
 fully consented and rode at the head of the column to the point 
 where the picket post might be established. This arrangement 
 made us feel reasonably secure for the night. We were spreading 
 our blankets under the large trees bordering the cross roads at 
 Old Cold Harbor when, without a word of warning or report 
 of trouble, we heard the rush of horsemen coming on us like a 
 cyclone from a clear sky. Imagine our surprise and astonishment 
 when the troops sent on picket came rushing down upon us, in a 
 wild stampede, through tree laps, over fences, ditches and every 
 thing in their path. General Butler naturally supposing that the 
 Yankee cavalry was after the picket detail, ordered staff, couriers, 
 escort, everything in reach, to throw themselves across the road, 
 pistol in hand, to stop if possible the stampede. Meantime dis 
 patching Nat Butler, his aid-de-camp, to order up the Fifth 
 South Carolina Cavalry Regiment at the double quick. This 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 229 
 
 splendid regiment responded quickly and was promptly deployed 
 in our front. An incident happened in one of the other regi 
 ments. I do not care to record further than to state that about 
 the time Nat got into the camp a loose horse of one of the stam- 
 peders rushed wildly into the camp and a pistol fired accidentally 
 from one of the holsters on the horse, caused a good many of the 
 men to take to the bushes. However, the Fifth came up without 
 a "bauble and soon restored order. We stopped as many of the 
 stampeders as possible, but learned afterwards that a number of 
 the Georgia battalion in their flight got as far back as Mechanics- 
 ville. When Colonel Robins got back, returning deliberately, he 
 explained that the unexpected happened, and that when the 
 Yankee vidette fired on the aproaching column of Confederates, 
 they broke into a wild stampede. That it was the most inexcus 
 able, unaccountable performance he had ever known or heard of ; 
 that there was not the slightest excuse or reason for it, except the 
 one shot from the Yankee vidette a long distance off. We soon 
 restored order and General Butler thanked Colonel Robins for 
 his services and we found our blankets for the remainder of the 
 night. I have gone somewhat more into detail describing this 
 fiasco than perhaps its importance justifies, but a good deal was 
 said at the time about "a stampede in Butler s brigade near Cold 
 Harbor," when as a matter of fact we had only thirty men in it, 
 and they claimed that being behind in the column, they were run 
 over by the men of the Georgia battalion of Young s brigade. 
 This battalion was not a w y orthy member of that dashing, splen 
 did command, which have never before known what a stampede 
 was. From that day to this I have never heard what became of 
 that captain I hope he found the doctor ! 
 
 Young s brigade, composed of the Cob legion, full regiment; 
 Jeff Davis legion, six troops; Phillips legion, six troops, and 
 Seventh Georgia cavalry, was one of the crack brigades of the 
 Army of Northern Virginia. I do not think the stampeded bat 
 talion had joined the brigade up to the time of the Cold Harbor 
 incident. The 30th of May, 1864, was an eventful day of an 
 eventful year. It simply fell to our lot to uncover and for a time 
 check one of Grant s most important movements. It is quite safe 
 to assume that others under like conditions and circumstances 
 would have done as well, and I trust that the survivors of other 
 
230 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 commands will make a record of the part they played on that day. 
 After the 30th of May we were engaged almost daily in fierce 
 combats with the enemy as a part of that great Army of Northern 
 Virginia in its matchless defense of Richmond until Trevillians, 
 on the llth and 12th days of June, just eight and nine days after 
 Cold Harbor, and what followed of which in previous papers 
 I have endeavored to give an accurate account. If I have com 
 mitted errors, and they are thought worthy of correction, I should 
 welcome the corrections. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 231 
 
 THE GREY HORSE "ARAB" 
 
 On the loth of March, 1901, General Butler wrote to his old 
 scout, Prioleau Henderson, about "Arab," the fine little horse that 
 carried Henderson so many miles during the campaign in Vir 
 ginia and elsewhere in the late War of Secession. "You rode 
 Arab on the raid made by General Stuart in October, 1862, across 
 the Potomac River, around McClellan s Army, through Mercers- 
 burg, Chambersburg near Gettysburg and through Emmetts- 
 burg, Pennsylvania, back to the Potomac, which we crossed at 
 White s Ford not long after sunrise. The march of the day and 
 night from Chambersburg, Pa., where we spent the night, to 
 Leesburg, Va., measured ninety-six miles. We made this march 
 in less than thirty hours. As I now recall the facts, your 
 horse, Arab, and a horse ridden by Colonel Jenifer of Stuart s 
 staff, were the only two in the entire column that made this 
 ninety-six miles without change." 
 
 God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb, and so does He 
 create men and horses with great fortitude and endurance for 
 war. On the 22nd Ma^r, 1901, General Hampton wrote the fol 
 lowing to the veteran scout about Arab: "If your good little 
 horse Arab does give an autobiography he will surely deserve an 
 equestrian statue, for he saw more of the war between the North 
 and South, I am sure, than any other living horse. I remember 
 him well, and when I last saw him he like his master was ac 
 tive in the political campaign of 76 in our State." 
 
 Recently the writer of this sketch dropped a line to his old 
 comrade to let him "ride" Arab that is to say to copy a few 
 notes from what Arab saw, and he answers from Walterboro, 
 S. C., 1st August, 190T: 
 
 Dear Comrade: Your favor of 30th July to hand. You are 
 welcome to ride Arab as much as you choose. Arab says: "We 
 were near Greenwood Church, Va. A great Yankee regiment were 
 returning to their camp from a scout. We saw them before they 
 got to the fort at the run. Mikler concealed his men in the thick 
 pines at the back of the run, and w r aited until they rode in and 
 halted to water their horses, when he ordered his men to fire. 
 
232 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Imagine the scene that ensued. Miklers intention was to fire on 
 them and then get away. But seeing such a* stampede among 
 them he ordered a charge, and we ran them into their picket lines 
 near Dumfries. O ! what a glorious race it was. We found the 
 killed and wounded all along the route, as we returned from the 
 pursuit with our prisoners. It was a four or five-mile race. The 
 only horse I knew that could outrun me that day was Shool- 
 bred s, a large and beautiful bay, with flowing mane and tail and 
 black legs. His name was Don. Don s master loved him like a 
 brother and had ridden him from the beginning of the w r ar. 
 Jack Shoolbred, in the latter part of 1863, while in a house, the 
 Yankees surrounded it and captured him and his fine horse, Don, 
 but Jack never could recapture him as he was ridden during the 
 remainder of the war by the adjutant of the Eighth Illinois 
 Cavalry, who was not required to do picket duty. Jack escaped 
 that night." 
 
 Milder remarked one day that he was going down to stir up 
 the First Michigan Cavalry, which was making daily scouts to 
 Brentsville, Occuquon and other places. One morning he saw a 
 squad of ten Yankees just across the river, so he got Mr. Brad 
 ford to pilot him to a blind ford about a mile above in order to 
 take them in the rear. After getting across Mikler told his men : 
 "Now, boys; follow me close and we will capture this squad if 
 there is not a larger force in sight." Upon striking the open field 
 Mikler halted to form his men, and only four were so far advanced 
 Mikler, Hogan, Hanly and Henderson. Mikler said: "Boys, 
 there are only ten of them. Draw your pistols and follow me." 
 The Yankees, instead of charging the four scouts, sat up^on their 
 horses with Sharp s rifles and fired, missing every one of our 
 boys, who rode up and emptied three saddles and kept in close 
 pursuit of the other seven flying horsemen. After a short dis 
 tance they dropped two more from their saddles, captured four 
 and ran the lieutenant down and caught him. Hanly, after doing 
 good service with the "Iron Scouts," and not having the fear of 
 God before his eyes and being instigated by the devil, deserted 
 and joined Wilson s United States Cavalry and was captured by 
 our cavalry the latter part of June, 1864, but made his escape 
 the very night of the capture. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 233 
 
 Some time after this the Iron Scouts left Prince William 
 County and went to Mosby s Confederacy in the Blue Ridge 
 Mountains. Mosby was a tall and rather thin man, perfectly 
 erect, clean-shaven face, keen piercing gray eyes that looked like 
 he could see through you, dressed in a Confederate major s uni 
 form, rather the worse for wear, a black hat and feather, with a 
 splendid pair of cavalry boots, a pair of Colt s army pistols 
 around his waist, his coattails worn and ragged on each side from 
 constant rubbing of his pistols. Mosby invited the Iron Scouts 
 to join him in a little fun, which they gladly accepted. Mosby 
 gave but few orders and when they started back to Prince Wil- 
 lim and Fauquier Counties Mosby had about ninety or one hun 
 dred men and Milder about nineteen. When they left Warrenion 
 Court House for the junction, about nine miles away, Mosby s 
 scouts reported that a body of the enemy were encamped not 
 far off. Mosby soon gave the order to follow him, and away they 
 went, but soon found that they had charged into an encampment 
 of Yankee infantry instead of cavalry. Mosby retired without 
 the loss of a man and brought off a few prisoners. From these 
 prisoners Mosby ascertained that the First Virginia Yankee 
 Cavalry were encamped in the houses at the junction. Within 
 a mile of the junction Mosby gave the command: "Follow me." 
 The first to reach the junction were Mosby, Mikler, Gillespie, 
 Thornwell and Sim Miller, with perhaps a half dozen of Mosby s 
 men, the main body perhaps one hundred and fifty yards in the 
 rear. Mosby s men dashed up in front of the house, the men 
 with cocked pistols, when as sudden as a flash of lightning from a 
 cloud came a sheet of fire from doors and windows. Mosby 
 ordered his men to dismount and charge the house, while he him 
 self stood at one of the windows shooting inside. Mosby then 
 led the charge upstairs, fighting his way up step by step until 
 he reached the top floor where the Yankee officer was killed. 
 Mosby and Mikler walked down stairs after killing and capturing 
 everything in the house and were sitting on their horses waiting 
 for their men to get the captured Yankees and horses in shape, 
 when a regiment of Yankee cavalry, the Eighth New York, sur 
 prised them, and then the thing to do was to get away if possible ; 
 and then another regiment of cavalry, the Fifth New York, came 
 up and recaptured everything and killed and captured some of 
 
234 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Mikler s and Mosby s men. In getting away Gillespie Thornwell 
 was mortally wounded and taken by the enem^ to Alexandria, 
 Va. Sim Miller was badly wounded and was with Gillespie 
 Thornwell when he died. Sim is now the Rev. Mr. Miller of the 
 Baptist persuasion. Arab was shot in the thigh. Prioleau Hen 
 derson rode him to Mr. Williams house and got a Yankee horse 
 which he had left there. Mr. Williams put Arab in a secluded 
 pasture where he soon recuperated. About two weeks after this 
 a squad of Yankees rode up to the pasture and Arab jumped the 
 fence and outran the whole business. He could not stand the 
 sight of a bluecoat. This horse acted like he had reason. The 
 Yankees rode up to Mr. Williams house and said: "What kind 
 of a d d old gray horse on three legs was that we got a glimpse 
 of in your pasture ? If he keeps on running like he did when we 
 last saw him he will be in Washington city by this time." In 
 January, 1863, a Yankee cavalryman deserted and reported to 
 Mosby for duty, and he proved to be one of the truest and best 
 men in this celebrated command. 
 
 One of the most daring scouts in any army was a Texan named 
 Burke. On one occasion Mikler s scouts were in a thicket of pines 
 between Bristow Station and Catlett s watching the railroad to 
 see from the numbers of the enemy if there was any chance to 
 make a dash upon them. As the scouts were about leaving, some 
 one said: "Here comes another detachment." When Henegan 
 said : "Look, Sergeant, at that officer on the right at the head of 
 the column, don t you recognize him." All of them looked closely 
 in the direction indicated and readily recognized in the would- 
 be Yankee major, Burke, "the Texas scout" of General R. E. Lee. 
 Burke told Prioleau Henderson on one occasion "that he had 
 three passes, one from General Robert E. Lee, one from General 
 Meade, chief in command of the Federal army, and another from 
 General Pleasanton, in command of the Union cavalry. 
 
 In the autumn of 1863 Dick Hogan, Barney Henegan, Prioleau 
 Henderson, Jack Shoolbred and another scout rode up to Mrs. 
 Maxfield s house one day about 11 o clock A. M. and found that 
 the enemy had just left after robbing her of everything they 
 could lay hands on chickens, ducks, geese, bacon, flour, potatoes 
 and even her sheets and wearing apparel. They told her that she 
 had been harboring Hampton s scouts and they intended to break 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 235 
 
 it up. There were seven in the Yankee squad and five of the Iron 
 Scouts,- who took a near cut on them, and at Mr. Trenniss house 
 they caught sight of them. Now the race began. The Yanks 
 threw away everything they had stolen. Our scouts killed two, 
 wounded three, captured one and only one escaped. 
 
 One afternoon Bill Milder, Barney Henegan and Prioleau 
 Henderson were riding along down near the Stafford County 
 line. Just before sunset they started across a field for a house. 
 The horses of Mikler and Henderson jumped the fence, but Hene 
 gan dismounted and let the fence down, and just as he mounted 
 his sorrel mare, Emma, after going over, two Yankees rode up 
 beside him, one on each side, both questioning him as to what 
 command he belonged to. Barney called Hogan and said: "It 
 flashed through my mind in an instant to pull them off their 
 horses. I did so, and here they are/ He got each by his neck 
 and held them tight while their horses walked from under them. 
 Barney was six feet four inches high and was a perfect athlete 
 with not a surplus pound of flesh and was about 27 years old. 
 Barney Henegan was the very life of the scouts. AVhen any of 
 them got into trouble among themselves Barney would throw oil 
 upon the troubled waters and everything was amicably adjusted. 
 He was the peacemaker. Barney studied law before the war and 
 was quite a war orator. He would frequently appear before the 
 court martial and would frequently out talk them all when his 
 friends were in trouble. Once he beat General Stuart in a speerh 
 and got his man off and Barney was the man. He departed 
 this life about twenty years ago. 
 
 "When marble wears away, 
 
 And monuments are dust, 
 The songs that guard our soldiers clay 
 Will still fulfil their trust." 
 
236 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 BATTLE AT TREVILLIAN STATION 
 
 "Memory crowds and the shadows luminous and gray file before 
 me." Time is always snatching something from us; its fleeting 
 moments pass as quickly as they come, never, never more to re 
 turn, as water which is gone from its source runs to it no more. 
 
 The Confederate soldiers course is almost run out, the past time 
 appears as a shadow ; so will that which is now to come, when it 
 shall be once over, and no tears, no entreaties, no endeavors can 
 recall the least moment we have already let slip unimproved; 
 therefore it is our duty to record the gallant deeds of our brave 
 comrades who fell on the bloody fields of strife, battling under 
 the Confederate flag which waved so proudly over our Confed 
 eracy for four long years. Should we fail to do this, then why 
 find fault with those who fought us so hard and so long for not 
 giving us justice in writing up the part they took in this terrible 
 strife? Every heroic virtue grew in the matchless inspiration 
 of the war. Every noble quality flourished in the stern and splen 
 did discipline of these unrelenting years. Courage, patience, sen 
 timent, devotion, duty, unselfishness and deathless patriotism 
 flashed like radiant stars across the gloom and darkness of the 
 time. Men learned there to love their country better than them 
 selves and to pledge their loyalty freely with their lives. Women 
 raised in luxury forgot their selfish comforts in their solemn 
 duties, and the white hands of fashion swept the looms of labor 
 and fastened the bandages of blood with a self-denying heroism 
 that was indeed sublime. "When triumphs came they rejoiced 
 with reverent gratitude, they met disasters in their turn with 
 dignity." 
 
 The most decisive cavalry fight that ever occurred on this 
 continent was fought at Trevillian Station, Virginia, on the 
 llth and 12th days of June, 1864. The hero of this fight was 
 General M. C. Butler, who was then about 27 years old. and was 
 one of the most dashing figures seen in this most terrible struggle. 
 At the head of his old brigade, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth South 
 Carolina Cavalry, moulded like an Apollo, with a face as sweet 
 and handsome as that of any god of old, he sat on his horse like 
 
LIEUT. MAT. J. HOUGH 
 
 REV. DOWLING 
 
 LIEUT. MIMS SULLIVAN 
 
 JOHN BAUSKETT 
 JARRARD D. SULLIVAN 
 
 Gallqnt Jarrard Sullivan, Orderly Sergeant Company A, Sixth S. C. Cavalry, rode at 
 head of regiment wherever it went. 
 
238 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 a typical South Carolina cavalier; gentle as any fawn when com 
 rades were assembled in social converse, fierce as a veteran grena 
 dier when the foe was to be met face to face. His plume always 
 showed in the lead where calm judgment of a soldier was needed 
 or the dash of a knight ready to face any odds was called for. 
 
 On Wednesday, the 8th of June, our scouts Shadbourne, 
 Shoolbred, Miller, Scott, Hogan and others reported to 
 Generals Hampton and Butler, who were then on the Chicka- 
 hominy, that a large body of Yankee cavalry had moved out 
 from behind Grant s lines and was then crossing the Pamunky 
 at a point heading northward. General Butler received orders 
 to draw three days rations for his men, which consisted of about 
 one and a half pounds of hard tack and a half pound of bacon, 
 that had to be eaten raw while in the saddle, as we were only 
 allowed time to stop long enough to graze our horses from 12 M. 
 to 2 P. M. every day and from 12 to 2 A. M. at night. We had 
 no time to unsaddle for eight days and nights, and the saddle up 
 call soon sounded again. We moved on the morning of the 9th 
 towards Gordonsville in the following order : Hampton s Division 
 of Cavalry, composed of Rosser s, Butler s and Young s brigades, 
 the latter commanded by Colonel J. G. Wright, ("Old Gid" as 
 the boys called him), of the Cobb legion in front. Fitz Lee s 
 division, composed of Lomax s and Wickham s brigades, came 
 
 next. 
 
 "And they rode forth so glorious in array, 
 
 So mannerly and full of gentle grace, 
 That every tongue would be compelled to say 
 They were the noblest of a noble race." 
 
 Upon General Hampton^ the ranking Major-General of Cav 
 alry of the Army of Northern Virginia, the command devolved. 
 The first night after leaving camp we grazed our horses, as stated 
 above, half way between Richmond and Trevillian Station on the 
 Virginia Central Railroad, the second night of the march we 
 reached Trevillian. Our division halted thus : Rosser up the road 
 towards Gordonsville, Butler near the station, Wright just be 
 hind and Fitz. Lee still further back near Louisa Court House. 
 
 It is proper to state in this connection that before leaving the 
 neighborhood of Richmond reports had been brought in to Gen 
 eral R. E. Lee, ("Mars Robert",) that General Phil. Sheridan 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 239 
 
 was moving towards Gordonsville as was supposed at the time to 
 join Hunter, who was coining up the valley with a strong force 
 to attack Lynchburg. If the junction of Hunter s and Sheridan s 
 columns had been accomplished the plan evidently was to attack 
 Richmond from the rear and compel General Lee to abandon his 
 lines of defense. This same Yankee General Hunter, a Virginian, 
 is the man who burnt the barracks of the Virginia Military In 
 stitute. General Early was sent by rail with his division or 
 corps to intercept Hunter and General Hampton with the two 
 divisions of cavalry to stop Sheridan. Hunter was turned back 
 by Early, as will be seen from the sequel. Sheridan met a crush 
 ing defeat by Hampton at and near Trevillian Station. I have 
 in a previous chapter given an account of Gregg s defeat near 
 Samaria Church on the 24th of June, and Wilson s defeat near 
 Sappony Church on the 28th of June, 1864. Just sixteen days 
 after Trevillian Station, how completely he was routed and had 
 to flee for his life these three simultaneous movements by Grant, 
 strong, formidable, led by his best officers, I suppose in military 
 parlance, would be styled "grand tactics," bold in conception but 
 in execution dismal failures. Grant underestimated the genius of 
 his great antagonist and incomparable qualities of his Confeder 
 ate soldiers. Be that as it may, we will leave it to be decided by 
 the military historians and critics who come after us. 
 
 On Friday night of the 10th of June, after the last of our hard 
 tack and raw meat had been devoured, ammunition was issued 
 and at daylight we were in motion. Jim Quattlebaum and 
 myself were on picket that night, and to say that we were hungry 
 and mad would not exactly express it. You may be sure staff and 
 couriers had all they could do that night. The division was 
 mounted on time, ammunition distributed, rifles slung ready for 
 the fray. We waited in this attitude until about sunrise. General 
 Rosser rode down to General Butler s headquarters, and being on 
 the qui vive for news, the staff and couriers heard the following 
 colloquy between Rosser and Butler devoted friends: "Butler, 
 what is Hampton going to do here today?" "D d if I know," 
 replied Butler. "We have been up mounted since daylight and 
 my men and horses are being worsted by non-action." "Let s ride 
 down," said Rosser, "and enquire what Hampton s plans are." 
 "All right," said Butler, and after extending an order to dis- 
 
240 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 mount and "stand to horse," the two set out to find General 
 Hampton. The general was lying on a carpenter s bench or table 
 in the horse lot in an oak grove in front of the house, where he 
 had made his headquarters. As the two youitg and handsome 
 brigadiers dismounted and approached General Hampton, he 
 rose and greeted his two subordinates in a most cordial and 
 friendly manner. Rosser spoke first and remarked: "General, 
 what do you propose to do here today, if I may enquire." Hamp 
 ton replied: "I propose to fight," thereupon Butler suggested 
 "that the surrounding country being thickly wooded, did not 
 seem a suitable field for the operation and maneuvering of cav 
 alry." This suggestion appears to have impressed General Hamp 
 ton, for he at once replied : "Well, let s ride out and reconnoitre a 
 little." The two mounted, and followed by staff and couriers, 
 moved in the direction of Butler s outposts. Rosser returned to 
 his command. To make the situation clear, it is proper to state 
 just here that our (Butler s) brigade was picketing in our im 
 mediate front nearest to the Yankees, the other commands above 
 and below. Generals Hampton and Butler had not gone more 
 than a quarter of a mile before they met Captain Milligan of 
 the Fourth South Carolina Cavalry, coming in rather hurriedly 
 with his squadron. He had been picketing in our front and 
 reported that he had been driven in by a strong force of Sheri 
 dan s cavalry. This information appears to have decided General 
 Hampton as to his action, who thereupon directed General Butler 
 to bring his brigade up and attack Sheridan, saying he would 
 hold Young s brigade in reserve to support him on either flank, 
 if the situation made it necessary ; that Fitz. Lee s division would 
 be ordered to move up and, support him on the right, that Rosser 
 was up the road, for any emergency that might arise in that 
 direction. General Butler thereupon promptly ordered his 
 brigade in to attack. He first sent forward Captain Snowden 
 with a squadron from the Fourth South Carolina Cavalry and 
 directed him to charge any force of the enemy he might encoun 
 ter and thus develop his strength. Snowden moved forward in 
 gallant style, charged at the first sight of the enemy, and ascer 
 tained the fact that they were in strong force in our front. The 
 country was thickly wooded and General Butler dismounted his 
 entire brigade, except one squadron, and pushed in with our long- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 241 
 
 range Enfield rifles, Colonel B. H. Rutledge commanding the left 
 wing, Colonel Hugh Aiken the right, Colonel John Dunovant of 
 the Fifth Regiment South Carolina Cavalry being absent suf 
 fering from a wound received at Halves Shop 28th May, 1864. 
 Major Jos. H. Morgan was in command and was in the center. 
 
 We drove Sheridan s troops a half or three-quarters of a mile 
 through the woods, momentarily expecting support on the right. 
 General Butler was sitting in a blind road in the woods about 
 the centre of his brigade in line of battle, the firing on both sides 
 being fast and furious, when the following incident occurred: 
 One squadron of the Fourth South Carolina Regiment, under 
 Captain Barber, was about to give way. General Butler, with 
 staff and couriers, spurred his horse into the woods, checked the 
 confusion, realigned the regiment and pushed it forward. I 
 would not like to see in cold type some of his expressions, brought 
 forth by the incident. However, it was all over in a few minutes, 
 and the whole line moved forward. When we returned to the 
 road we discovered a Yankee officer mounted about thirty steps 
 from where we were stationed. He had evidently been separated 
 from his command. Two of the couriers, Henry Watson being 
 one of them, jumped from their horses, presented their carbines, 
 and were about to fire on the officer, when General Butler gave 
 them a sharp order not to fire, at the same time calling to the 
 officer to ride out to where we were. He promptly did so, and 
 but for the order to the couriers he would have been a dead man 
 in short order. It turned out to be Captain Charles Loeser of 
 the Second Yankee Dragoons Regular Cavalry, and we overheard 
 the following colloquy : General Butler ordered him to dismount, 
 that he was a prisoner and must deliver up his arms and horse, 
 meantime introducing himself. It was the work of a few min 
 utes when this part of the ceremony was disposed of, and in 
 handing his sword to General Butler asked permission to break it, 
 very much mortified at the dilemma in which he found himself. 
 The General said very quietly: "No, sir; I cannot permit that," 
 and then enquired how he happened to be separated from his 
 command. Captain Loeser (afterwards we learned was promoted 
 to lieutenant colonel) explained that his regiment had charged 
 and driven back a part of our line and upon our rallying, renew 
 ing our forward movement, we had driven his regiment in some 
 
 16 B. C. 
 
242 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 confusion, and he became separated in the thick woods. He was 
 a very handsome-looking soldier, very much mortified and hu 
 miliated. General Butler tried to relieve this by some pleasant 
 remarks, what any soldier might expect in battfe, that there was 
 no disgrace attached to it, etc., etc. And now comes a part of the 
 incident that partook somewhat of the comical as well as tragic. 
 Captain Loeser asked General Butler if General Rosser was any 
 where in the neighborhood, and upon being informed that he was, 
 requested to be sent to him, as he was at West Point with him, 
 and as he had a great horror of being robbed as a prisoner, he 
 thought he would get better treatment in the hands of his West 
 Point chum. General Butler remarked he should not be molested 
 while under his charge, but that he would send him, under guard, 
 to General Rosser, saying at the same time, that he would have 
 to take possession of his horse, accoutrements and arms, as they 
 were legitimate captures, etc. To this Captain Loeser readily 
 assented and remarked that his mount, a handsome chestnut 
 sorrel mare, was "played out" (we were all played out in that 
 sense). General Butler then directed his brother and aid-de 
 camp, Lieutenant Nat Butler, the handsomest boy in the Army of 
 Northern Virginia, to conduct Captain Loeser to General Rosser 
 with his compliments, meantime to see to it that nobody inter- 
 f erred with his prisoner. Nat rather protested, unwilling I sup 
 pose to leave his chief in the midst of such a fierce fight. General 
 Butler then sent to Captain John C. Calhoun, whose company 
 was mounted, directing him to detail a non-commissioned officer 
 to report to him. Corporal Sheppard, from one of the mountain 
 counties, Anderson, if I am not mistaken, a tall, square-built 
 young fellow. Captain Loeser was turned over to him and 
 started to find Rosser, with the same orders given to Nat. 
 
 Sheppard reported that when he reached the Gordonsville 
 road he halted with Captain Loeser in a fence corner when he 
 saw the head of Rosser s column coming down the road with 
 Captain Jim Thompson s battery of horse artillery in front. 
 When they discovered the "Yankee officer" sitting in the fence 
 corner, one of Thompson s men rode up and said : "Hello, Yank, I 
 want them boots." Sheppard remonstrated, repeating General 
 Butler s orders, whereupon the artilleryman replied: "I don t 
 care a d d about General Butler s orders," and they went through 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 243 
 
 Captain Loeser in the house of his friends, took about all of his 
 personal effects, changed coat, hat and boots with him, and left 
 him in a most forlorn condition to meet his West Point asso 
 ciate. Of course General Rosser knew nothing about the treat 
 ment of his Yankee friend until he had been metamorphosed. 
 General Butler regretted afterwards he had not allowed Captain 
 Loeser to break his sword, as we found after he had gone it had 
 been presented to him by a lady whose name was engraved on 
 the brass hilt, and who we learned he afterwards married. Let 
 us go back a little. Soon after the capture of Captain Loeser 
 General Butler received a message from Colonel Rutledge, in 
 command of the left wing, that he was being flanked and to 
 send him reinforcements. General Butler turned very coolly 
 to the messenger and said: "Give my compliments to Colonel 
 Rutledge and tell him to flank back." I heard these two officers 
 laughing about the message, Colonel Rutledge remarking that it 
 was the cheekiest order he had ever received, that he was in the 
 woods with his line stretched out to the limit, doing his best to 
 take care of the enemy in his front, and to receive an order to 
 "flank back." The general replied: "Didn t you know, pressed 
 as I was in front and on both flanks, I had no reinforcements 
 to send you." General Butler did report to General Hampton 
 the situation, who immediately ordered Colonel Wright to re 
 port with his brigade to General Butler, who ordered him to 
 deploy on Rutledge s left. Meantime General Custer, that dash 
 ing dare-devil cavalryman commanding one of Sheridan s 
 brigades, found an old road on Butler s right. He moved rapidly 
 past our right, got in our rear, and captured some of our men, 
 a number of our led horses and ambulances and wagons. Two 
 of the men were bravest of the brave, couriers to General Hamp 
 ton, Wade Manning and Alex Taylor. 
 
 Rosser heard of this, came thundering down the Gordonsville 
 road, charged Custer, another of his West Point chums. Rosser led 
 the old Laurel brigade in a pell-mell rebel yell charge. Among 
 the foremost in this dashing charge were Private Charles B. 
 Rous, Captain McGuire, Captain Hatcher, Colonel E. Y. White, 
 Major P. B. Winston, Major Holmes Conrad and General Thos. 
 L. Rosser. Of the Yankees were Color Sergeant John Nash, 
 Colonel Clarke, General R. A. Alger and General Custer. When 
 
244 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Major Conrad shot Color Sergeant John Nash, General Custer 
 saw him falling with the United States flag and rushed forward 
 and saved it. Rosser and Custer were near enough to shoot each 
 other at this critical moment. Rosser s Confederate flag was 
 flashing in the Southern sky. 
 
 "On to death and glory dashing, 
 On where swords were clanging, clashing ; 
 On where balls were crushing, crashing, 
 And Rosser s men won it, routed and riven, 
 
 Reeled the foreman s proud array. 
 They had struggled hard and striven, 
 Blood in torrents they had given ; 
 But their ranks, dispersed and driven ; 
 Fled in sullenness away." 
 
 Thus Rosser routed Custer, capturing his ambulances and 
 wagons and the caissons of his battery and many provisions, 
 besides recapturing everything that Custer had captured from 
 us. I will here mention a few of the brave men of the Sixth 
 South Carolina Cavalry who were shot near myself: Colonel 
 Hugh Aiken was shot through the right lung, Sergeant-Major 
 Oscar Sheppard was mortally wounded, Captain Jas. J. Gregg 
 of Company B, Sixth South Carolina Cavalry, was shot in the 
 arm ; Abner Bushnell, shot in the hip. Dick Berry, while trying 
 to show me a Yankee in the thick bushes, was shot through the 
 arm. Why he did not first shoot the Yankee and then show him 
 to me I never could understand. Wyly Moyer was killed. 
 
 "A grave in the woods grass overgrown, 
 
 A grave in the heart of his mother, 
 His clay in the one lies lifeless and lone 
 There is not a name, there is not a stone, 
 And only the voice of the wind maketh moan 
 O er the grave where never a flower is strewn, 
 But his memory lives in the other." 
 
 Lieutenant John Bauskett took command of Company B im 
 mediately after Captain Gregg was shot and behaved most gal 
 lantly. Lieutenant Colonel L. P. Miller of the Sixth Cavalry 
 was not in this fight, having been left in charge of some dis 
 mounted men near Richmond. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 245 
 
 The gallant Major Tom Ferguson commanded the regiment 
 after the brave Aiken fell. Gen. Hampton rode up to Major Fer 
 guson and ordered him to mount his regiment and follow him. 
 We were surrounded and Hart s battery was in great danger of 
 capture, but Hampton with our regiment soon saved the battery 
 and cut our way out in good order. The support that General 
 Hampton had promised General Butler on his right did not 
 materialize, and Custer, mounted as he was, had an easy time 
 getting round our right and rear. Soon after Wright s brigade 
 got in position on Rutledge s left, General Butler received a 
 message from General Hampton to withdraw his lines and retire 
 towards the railroad. I can never forget Butler s repty. He 
 was pressed on both flanks, with Custer in his rear, and he said 
 to the messenger from General Hampton : "Say to General Hamp 
 ton it is hell to hold on and hell to let go. If I withdraw my 
 entire line at once the blue coats will run over us, and that the 
 best I can do is to mount one regiment at a time and grad 
 ually retire." This was done as speedily as possible and we 
 came out in good order. I heard General Butler say afterwards 
 that if his troops had not been the finest in the world they would 
 have become demoralized and precipitated confusion that might 
 have led to a serious disaster. As it was, we got back to a large 
 oak tree where the ambulances had been gathered, the surgeon 
 having established a field infirmary there and were attending to 
 the killed and wounded. Among the latter was Colonel Hugh 
 Aiken, Sixth South Carolina Cavalry, the regiment to which I 
 belonged, commanding the right wing of Butler s brigade. A 
 more gallant, fearless soldier never put a squadron in the field. 
 It was supposed at the time his wound was mortal, but he re 
 covered, rejoined his regiment, and was killed near old Kellytown 
 in Darlington County, S. C., 24th February, 1865, while boldly 
 leading a reconnaissance, Col. Zimmerman Davis, of the Fifth 
 South Carolina Cavalry, was with Colonel Aiken, and has given 
 a vivid and graphic account of the fight. At this field infirmary 
 Generals Hampton and Butler met for the first time since they 
 separated early in the morning. General Hampton was very much 
 worried at the situation. He directed General Butler to take the 
 Phillips legion of Young s brigade and charge the enemy that 
 had collected in considerable force at the railroad. The Phillips 
 legion, in column of fours, were near by, with Captain Buchanan 
 
246 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 sitting at the head of the column. While General Butler was 
 engaged in throwing forward a strong line of mounted skirm 
 ishers preparatory to making the charge, the enemy keeping up 
 a rapid fire, Captain Buchanan was hit in the breast by a Yankee 
 bullet. He was taken from his horse and was supposed to be 
 mortally wounded, but he recovered, survived the war and repre 
 sented his district in Georgia in the United States Congress, 
 in which sphere he distinguished himself as ably as he had done 
 as a soldier. We made the charge with the Phillips legion 
 mounted as directed, drove the Yankees pell-mell from the rail 
 road. Rosser had done some effective work up the Gordonsville 
 road. The result was no little confusion among "our friends the 
 enemy." When we reached an eminence near the railroad, from 
 which we could see in all directions, the confusion of Custer s 
 command was in full view. General Butler sent Captain A. P. 
 Butler (tall Pick) to find General Hampton and to say to him 
 if he would send a piece of artillery he could destroy Custer. 
 Pick had scarcely got out of sight before Butler received a mes 
 sage from General Hampton directing him to withdraw to the 
 field infirmary as quickly as possible. When we reached the 
 point we discovered the Yankees moving in line of battle towards 
 us. Here we witnessed an act of gallantry worthy of any sol 
 dier. Lieutenant Long of my regiment, the Sixth South Carolina, 
 was acting as Provost Marshal and headquarters escort and with 
 about thirty men, kept the enemy in check until I could get the 
 ambulances with the dead and wounded across the ravine (just 
 in our left rear). The main part of our command had been left 
 along the railroad. Long promptly obeyed the order and 
 charged with his small detachment, cutting and slashing right 
 into the enemy and evidently surprised them by the audacity 
 of his charge. However, it had the desired effect, Long returned 
 with several empty saddles, but he accomplished his purpose. 
 We succeeded in getting the ambulances along an open ridge in 
 the face of a galling fire across and on the same side of the ravine. 
 As we ascended the hill in an open field on the other side, General 
 Butler rode up to one of the guns of Hart s battery pelting away 
 at the Yankees. Captain Church, the gallant and accomplished 
 Adjutant-General of Young s brigade, dashed up to him and said : 
 "General, for God s sake get away from here, that is the enemy," 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 247 
 
 pointing towards a line of Yankees. General Butler replied that 
 the gun must be saved, ordering the sergeant in charge to move up 
 the hill towards Rosser s position, meantime concentrating a 
 sharp fire from his troops on the advancing Yankees. Very soon 
 the two generals, Butler and Rosser, joined. Each organized a 
 line of battle from their respective commands and moved on the 
 Yankees, driving them down the hill. Passing through a peach 
 orchard, encouraging their men in the fierce contest, Rosser re 
 ceived a painful wound in the right knee, which required his men 
 to take him from his horse and carry him to the rear. The 
 day s work was nearly ended. General Butler kept up the fight 
 until after sunset, when both sides pulled out for the night. Thus 
 ended the battle of the llth of June, 1864, not very satisfactory 
 I imagine on either side. I do not pretend to give an account 
 of what transpired in other parts of the field. One thing I think 
 I may safely claim without disparaging anybody, that our brig 
 ade held up our end of the line throughout the entire day. We 
 bivouacked on the night of the llth at Green Spring Valley about 
 three miles east of Trevillian Station. There we fortunately 
 found an abundance of water for man and beast. We slept on 
 our arms. 
 
 SUNDAY, 12TH JUNE, 1864. 
 
 The next morning, the 12th, we moved back to the railroad 
 bright and early. General Hampton placed General Butler in 
 command of the First Division Cavalry, A. N. V., which he 
 commanded with great credit to himself to the end of the war. 
 There was no confusion on our side this day, so far as our 
 division was concerned. General Hampton went back to look 
 after the other troops under his command. 
 
 General Butler withdrew the line a few hundred yards to the 
 crest of a hill, so as to be able to sweep the field in front. Our 
 line was formed as follows: The Fourth South Carolina on the 
 left, the Sixth in the center and the Fifth on the right. Young s 
 and Rosser s brigades stretched out on the right of our brigade. 
 Two Napoleon guns of Thompson s battery were posted some 
 what to the right of the center of our brigade. Hart s battery 
 and the other two guns of Thompson s battery were stationed at 
 intervals along the line. The line of our brigade made rather 
 a sharp angle at the railroad in order to get the benefit of the 
 
248 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 railroad embankment. The Sixth South Carolina Regiment 
 occupied this angle, afterwards properly styled the "Bloody 
 Angle." This was the situation when between* 1 and 2 o clock 
 in the afternoon on the 12th of June, 1864, Sheridan moved up 
 to attack us. Everybody was of course dismounted fighting on 
 foot. At the far side of the field from our line, not more than two 
 hundred yards distant, was a piece of woods skirted by a rail 
 fence, and just against the angle above described was the house of 
 a Mr. Ogg in an oak grove in our front. When the skirmish line of 
 the Yankees opened a brisk fire from the woods, we gave them as 
 good as they sent, we having in the meantime thrown up such 
 breastworks as could be improvised with our hands and bayonets 
 on short notice. The two brass twelve-pound Xapoleons joined 
 in the fray. The shots from these two guns attracted a con 
 centrated fire upon them. The cannonniers were shot down as 
 fast as they could be posted. So fatal was the enemy s fire that 
 General Butler directed Major Preston Chew, then commanding 
 the two batteries, not to attempt to man the guns, as it was mur 
 der to keep them there. They were consequently withdrawn until 
 towards dusk, as will appear later. Sheridan made seven distinct 
 assaults on our line, directed mainly on our brigade. We could 
 distinctly hear his bugles sound the charge, and next morning 
 found demijohns and jugs that had been emptied of whiskey 
 with which he had been administering "Dutch courage" to his 
 men. Sheridan s men had effected an entrance into the dwelling 
 house not more than a hundred yards in front of the Sixth regi 
 ment angle and were playing havoc picking off our men. Just 
 before the first attack Butler ordered Captain Humphries, com 
 manding Troops B and F, the Second squadron of the Sixth 
 cavalry, to move across the railroad and to retreat to our lines as 
 soon as attacked, and in recrossing the railroad the Yankee 
 sharpshooters, who were posted up the railroad, fired on these 
 two companies, and among others my brother, Private Whitfield 
 Butler Brooks, was killed. 
 
 "Firm as the firmest, where duty led 
 
 He hurried without a falter; 
 Bold as the boldest he fought and bled, 
 And the day was won but the field was red; 
 And the blood of his fresh young heart was shed 
 
 On his country s hallowed altar." 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 249 
 
 Lieutenant Bauskett, after the men got into the railroad cut, 
 halted them for a moment and it was then that the sharpshooters 
 got in their deadly work. Lieutenant J. J. Bunch of our Com 
 pany B, one of nature s noblemen, says of Lieutenant Bauskett, 
 who commanded the company in the "Bloody Angle": General 
 Butler sent us word to hold our position at all hazards. Lieu 
 tenant Bauskett sent this message: "Send us ammunition, Gen 
 eral, and we will do it." Belton Orchard said: "Tell General 
 Butler that we will hold it until hell freezes over." It was a very 
 hot place. Lieutenant Bauskett was a brave and skillful officer, 
 leading the company in many battles. He had the entire con 
 fidence of the brigade. Among the wounded were Sam Mays 
 and Bud Rountree. Just as the fight began Sergeant Andrew 
 Giles was ordered to Ogg s house to do sharpshooting with a 
 squad of men, but before reaching the house he was mortally 
 wounded. Bill Claxton and Eddie Padgett were killed, and soon 
 after this Matt Moss and John Moss were killed. The Yankees 
 were so impressed with Young Padgett s youth that they got a 
 pillow from the house and placed it under his head to alleviate 
 his pain. He was shot in the stomach and died before the fight 
 was over. 
 
 "On the trampled breast of the battle plain, 
 Where the foremost ranks had wrestled, 
 On his pale pure face not a mark of pain, 
 (His mother dreams they will meet again) 
 The fairest form amid all the slain, 
 Like a child asleep he nestled." 
 
 Of the wounded in our company I remember Ike Bush, Pres 
 Williams, Jim Quattlebaum, Bill Turner and Henry Quattle- 
 baum. Of Company F I saw two gallant boys shot down, Alfred 
 Aldrich and Robert Aldrich, adjutant of the old Sixth cavalry 
 and now the distinguished judge of the second circuit of South 
 Carolina. When the fighting began Saturday morning Company 
 B had 64 men and by 9 o clock Sunday night 37 had been killed 
 and wounded. Assault after assault was made on this "Bloody 
 Angle." As above stated, seven distinct charges were repulsed. 
 There was a gallant major who led these charges, and about 
 sunset, while leading his last charge, when almost near enough to 
 be stuck by a bayonet, Corporal John Briggs and Private Abe 
 
250 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Broadwater, of Company B, killed him, and thus ended the 
 career of one of the most gallant men in the JTankee army. I 
 wish I knew his name. Their dead and wounded and our dead 
 and wounded were lying close together between the railroad 
 irons, and just across the railroad, where so many charges had 
 been led by this gallant major, w r ere the dead bodies of about 
 300 of Sheridan s cavalry. Just in front of the second squadron 
 of the Sixth cavalry, the losses in our regiment were heavy, 
 especially where exposed to the enfilade fire of the Yankee bat 
 teries and small arms. Worse still, our ammunition was ex 
 hausted, when near sunset it was seen that Sheridan had con 
 centrated stronger and heavier columns for another assault. 
 General Butler dispatched one of his staff, Lieutenant Nat But 
 ler, for Hart s battery to come to the center. This battery came 
 at a gallop and unlimbered its pieces in the missile-torn field be 
 side Thompson s silent guns. An ammunition wagon was carried 
 at a gallop along Butler s line. The gallant Ordnance Sergeant 
 Grant, of Captain Barber s Company, Fourth South Carolina 
 Cavalry (this brave man, Grant, died at his home near the city 
 of Chester, S. C., on tire 29th July, 1907), pitching cases of rifle 
 cartridges from the rear end of his bullet-riddled wagon, as the 
 horses were pulling it at a run on its dangerous mission. The 
 cases were soon broken open and the men supplied. Just before 
 the wagon arrived, however, every man in Company B, Sixth 
 South Carolina Cavalry, had fired his last cartridge, and a young 
 private soldier, Bill Turner, of the company, volunteered to go 
 after the ammunition and was wounded. Two other boys volun 
 teered, Wash Allen and Tom Sego, which looked like madness 
 on their part. Cannon balls and minnie balls were flying thick 
 and fast just over our heads and striking and plowing up the 
 ground behind us. But on they went through this storm of lead 
 and got as much as they could carry and returned in time for us 
 to repulse another charge. This daring deed of these boys was 
 one of the bravest of the war. General Butler ordered the gal 
 lant Major Hart to burn the Ogg house. It was not long before 
 it was in a blaze and the hiding place of the Yankee sharp 
 shooters destroyed. We learned afterwards that the occupants 
 and owners of the house, old man Ogg and his wife, took refuge 
 in the cellar, and when the house caught fire ran out and escaped 
 without injury. Such is war. Battery M, a Yankee regular bat- 
 
BUTLEK AND HlS CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 251 
 
 tery up the railroad to our right, had been indulging in an en 
 filading fire on our extreme left along the embankment of the 
 railroad, doing great damage. General Butler directed Major 
 Chew to order the other guns of Thompson s battery to assist 
 Hart s battery and silence the Yankee battery. This was quickly 
 done under the concentrated accurate fire of our gunners. Frank 
 Bamberg and J. W. Verdier were the gunners of Hart s battery. 
 We could distinctly hear the explosion when one or more of the 
 Yankee caissons were blown up by our shells. We understood at 
 the time that the Yankee Battery M was known as Tidball s or 
 Pennington s battery, whichever it was, did not survive to do us 
 more damage. I heard General Butler remark that the firing 
 of the two batteries was the most accurate and effective he had 
 ever known. Between sunset and dusk we heard the Yankee 
 bugles sound preparing for another charge. It turned out to be 
 the seventh and last. General Butler directed Major Chew to 
 man the howitzers, as the dusk of the evening and smoke of 
 battle would protect the gunners, partially at least, from the view 
 of Sheridan s sharpshooters; to double shot the guns with grape 
 and cannister. General Butler informed Major Chew that he 
 was satisfied the Yankees would charge over the rail fence at the 
 edge of the woods and attempt to drive us from our position; 
 that when they crossed the fence and got out in the open, to 
 receive them with his grape and cannister. Sure enough, over 
 the fence they came and made a rush up the declivity in our 
 front, but they did not make much headway. Chew s grape and 
 cannister. together with the steady aim of our Enfields, proved 
 too much for them. They recoiled under our terrible fire and 
 beat a hasty retreat back to the woods. One of the most gallant 
 men in this battle was Captain Zimmerman Davis, who com 
 manded the Second squadron of the Fifth cavalry, afterwards 
 Colonel of the Fifth regiment. This regiment faced the open 
 field, protected by some rails. The men had stretched along 
 the dirt road, which crossed the railroad at the "Bloody Angle." 
 The left of the Fifth regiment joined the extreme right of the 
 Sixth cavalry regiment. A portion of it was in the cut, but it was 
 completely enfiladed by the fire from the Yankee artillery and 
 sharpshooters on the edge of the woods on its right. The other 
 portion occupied the fence corner in the road, and enfiladed by 
 
252 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 the sharpshooters stationed in the edge of the woods and in the 
 Ogg house, until Hart s battery destroyed it. The Second squad 
 ron, under Captain Davis, faced the open field at the extreme 
 end of which, at least a thousand yards from us, we could see 
 the Yankee cavalry form in line for charging. The bugles would 
 sound the charge, but there was no horseback charge by the 
 Yankees that day. They would prepare for the charge, when the 
 fire from our long Enfield rifles would create such consternation, 
 that they would come to a halt and disappear behind a body of 
 woods, then reappear and try the process again and again, until 
 they had made thirteen different unsuccessful attempts to make 
 the charge. Meantime we were getting in our deadly work, while 
 they were making good the old saying that "he who hesitates is 
 lost." Prisoners captured the next day stated that our fire was 
 so effective at such a distance that it was thought we had been 
 largely reinforced by infantry, and could not believe that only 
 Butler s brigade of South Carolina Cavalry was in their front. 
 Thus ended the second day s fight. The Fifth cavalry lost in the 
 two days fighting : Killed, 6 ; wounded, 41 ; missing or captured, 
 8. This is taken from the official report, published in the Charles 
 ton Courier of date 13th July, 1864. Sergeant R. M. Glaze, 
 father of the distinguished lawyer, Mr. W. L. Glaze, belonged 
 to Captain Edwards company, Fifth cavalry, and had his head 
 shot off by a cannon ball. Sheridan began his retreat towards 
 Grant s line, reporting that he had met a strong force of infantry 
 and was compelled to retire. The fact is, there was not an infan 
 try soldier on either side nearer to Trevillian Station than on 
 General Lee s lines in front of Richmond or at Lynchburg with 
 General Early. It was not surprising, however, that Sheridan 
 should have mistaken our dismounted cavalry behind their En- 
 fields for regular infantry, for we understood the art of shooting, 
 and we shot to kill and did kill lots of them. Next morning, the 
 13th, we found the field in our front covered with their dear and 
 Bounded. The howitzers and Enfields had mowed them down 
 as they advanced in line of battle, and we could locate their line 
 by the dead as they fell in their tracks. 
 
 The Yankees displayed pluck and splendid courage that 
 bloody day in their attempt to drive us away, but were sadly in 
 need of a good cavalry leader. Sheridan was no match for But- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 253 
 
 ler. He said a few days after this fight that that d d man 
 (meaning Butler) had given him more trouble with his South 
 Carolina brigade than all the rebel cavalry put together. "Praise, 
 indeed, from Sir Hubert." 
 
 The Fourth South Carolina Cavalry, under the gallant Colonel 
 B. H. Rutledge, behaved most gallantly. Our losses in killed was 
 fearful. I witnessed a most tragic and pathetic scene in the 
 "Bloody Angle." While the Yankee battery was enfilading a 
 part of our line along the railroad embankment, a shell knocked 
 all the flesh off the right thigh of John Moss, leaving the thigh 
 bone perfectly bare, even of blood, and in some mysterious way 
 did not break it. When his brother Mat saw it, he at once ran 
 to him, put his arms around him, when a Yankee sharpshooter 
 shot him through the heart. He died lying across John s breast, 
 who did not die for some little time afterwards. Both of these 
 splendid soldiers splendid in physique and splendid in cour 
 age belonged to my Company B, of the Sixth South Carolina 
 Cavalry. This regiment was the greatest sufferer owing to the 
 position it occupied in the "Angle." Either of the others, Fourth 
 and Fifth, would have made the same record under the same 
 circumstances. General Butler, Captain jas. N. Lipscomb, his 
 adjutant-general; his gallant young aide-de-camp, Nat. Butler; 
 Major Chew, and several couriers, were the only mounted men 
 on the line of our brigade, and I have looked back with wonder 
 and amazement how it was they escaped in that deadly fire of the 
 enemy. But such things "are past finding out." The men and 
 horses of our division were so fatigued and jaded (the men hav 
 ing been without a morsel to eat from Friday until Monday 
 afternoon, and the horses having been grazed only for an hour 
 or two each night) we could not pursue Sheridan as vigorously 
 as we desired. Sheridan s retreat was so precipitate that he 
 could not wait for horses that showed signs of fatigue, but had 
 them shot at once, and Colonel Zimmerman Davis counted over 
 two thousand dead horses, with bullet holes in their heads, in the 
 one hundred miles (averaging over twenty to the mile) from 
 Trevillian to the White House on the Pamunky. 
 
 On Monday morning General Butler selected Captain Zim 
 merman Davis squadron, as he remarked at the time, "in conse 
 quence of its conspicuous gallantry during the two days fight- 
 
254 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 ing," to go over the battle fields, bury the dead, look after any 
 wounded he may find and gather up such arms as might be 
 scattered around, which duties were discharged, and Captain 
 Davis overtook the brigade the next day. 
 
 General Hampton informed General Butler on Sunday night, 
 the 12th, he would have him relieved very early after nightfall 
 so that he might retire with his command and go into camp after 
 the heroic stand he had taken against Sheridan. We, however, 
 were not relieved until 2 o clock the next morning. The reader 
 can imagine how sorely we needed rest after the struggle of two 
 such days. During the night we gathered as best we could our 
 wounded and dead, the latter for want of transportation we 
 carried out just in the rear of our line of battle. It was a bright 
 moonlight night, and I shall never forget the ghastly appearance 
 our poor boys made as they laid pale and stiff under the unsym 
 pathetic light of the moon. We had no time to shed tears over 
 our dead comrades, but moved on during the morning of the 13th 
 of June in pursuit of Sheridan, who had abandoned his dead and 
 such of his wounded as could not travel with surgeons to attend 
 them. We followed him across the North Anna at Carpenter s 
 Ford and continued the pursuit to the White House, as above 
 stated. As we passed through positions he had occupied in his 
 attacks upon us on the 12th we discovered a great number of 
 empty demijohns and jugs, to which I have referred to above. As 
 we passed them the boys jollied each other, as their mouths 
 watered for some of Sheridan s whiskey, exclaiming he had given 
 us "plenty of lead but no liquor." It would be presumption, on oc 
 cupying the position of a private soldier and courier, to pro 
 nounce judgment on great strategic and tactical movements of 
 opposing armies, but I have heard men military critics fully 
 qualified to discuss them say that the three defeats of Grant s 
 combination to break the lines of his great antagonist, Early s 
 defeat of Hunter, Hampton s defeat of Sheridan in the battle 
 at Trevillian and Symaria Church, and his defeat of Wilson at 
 Sappony Church, were of the greatest value to General Lee in 
 his defense of Richmond and Petersburg. In a letter from 
 General Thos. T. Munford, who commanded a Virginia brig 
 ade, he says: "The last time General Hampton was at my 
 house he said to me, Butler s defense at Trevillian was never 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 255 
 
 surpassed/ and he added, ; He was as good a soldier as we had. r 
 Our cavalry established a first-class cemetery at Trevillian 
 which has given employment to several Yankee soldiers since 
 the war to keep in good repair. 
 
 It will be observed that I have not attempted to give an ac 
 count of the operations of other commands engaged in this 
 bloody fight at Trevillian Station, but have confined my nar 
 rative to the part played by our immediate command. It is hoped 
 that some survivor of the others will supplement what I have 
 stated and correct any errors that I may have made, thus making 
 the record complete in its details. I take the following from 
 "Hampton and His Cavalry," by Edward L. Wells. Of this 
 fight he says: "The force under Hampton did not exceed four 
 thousand seven hundred men in all in the two divisions. These 
 figures are taken from memoranda of General Hampton, based 
 on papers in his possession preserved from the war, and corres 
 pond from the data obtained from other sources. There were 
 three batteries of horse artillery of four guns each." Sheridan 
 had his first and second divisions commanded by Torbet and 
 Gregg, numbering about nine thousand men, with twenty- four 
 pieces of artillery, being six batteries of four guns each. The 
 twenty-four regiments composing Sheridan s two divisions, 
 selected for this expedition, consisted of the picked troops of 
 his corps, such as the First, Second and Fifth United States 
 Regulars, Custer s brigade and First New Jersey." 
 
 "The Federal troops, therefore, outnumbered Hampton s in the 
 proportion of more than two to one, with artillery in the same 
 ratio. But this was not all their armament and equipment, their 
 breech-loaders and magazine rifles gave them an advantage over 
 muzzle-loaders which ought to have been the equivalent of a 
 hundred per cent., but estimating it at only fifty per cent, their 
 force would have practically outnumbered Hampton s as three 
 is to one. Mr. Wells speaks of Butler, 12th day of June, com 
 manding Hampton s division, "That he was soon to gain the 
 well-earned commission of a major-general. Always calm and 
 cool when in action, his handsome, clear-cut face showed on this 
 occasion no emotion as he scanned the details of the field." 
 
 "On the person of a Federal prisoner, captured during their 
 retreat, was found a diary. Saturday, June llth, fight at Tre 
 villian Station, captured and killed six hundred rebs. 
 
256 
 
 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 "Sunday, June 12th, fought on same ground, got whipped like 
 the devil; lost more men than the rebs did the day previous." 
 
 On 14th June, in a letter to General Lee, the*following remark 
 about the Trevillian fight is made by General Hampton: 
 "Butler s brigade held their ground against seven desperate 
 charges under as heavy a fire artillery and musketry as troops 
 are often subjected to, without giving way a foot." 
 
 On the 22nd February, 1889. 
 General Rosser, who was one of 
 the best cavalry officers Vir 
 ginia ever produced, delivered 
 a speech before the Maryland 
 Army and Navy Association, 
 in which he says of the second 
 day s fight at Trevillian, 12th 
 June: "Sheridan concentrated 
 his force and exerted his entire 
 strength to the driving of 
 Hampton out of his way, but 
 he could not move him. This 
 fight was conducted more like 
 an infantry battle than a cav 
 alry fight. The men were all 
 dismounted and carbines were 
 the only weapons used. Hamp 
 ton s line of defense was 
 strengthened by a breastwork of fence rails, and Sheridan tried 
 to carry it by dismounted charges. It was a spirited infantry 
 attack and a stubborn infantry resistance. Sheridan displayed no 
 skill in maneuvering ; it was simply a square stand up fight, man 
 to man, and Hampton whipped him defeated his purpose and 
 turned him back. The history writers of the North are endeavor 
 ing to make a great general of Sheridan, but the impartial his 
 torian, who will write for future generations to read, will over 
 turn their feeble and foundationless structure. Sheridan was not 
 only whipped by Hampton at Trevillian, but routed and panic- 
 stricken, as his hasty retreat during the night of the 12th and 
 the route he took to avoid pursuit will show. So much afraid 
 was he of pursuit and further disaster that he ran off and hid 
 
 ROBERT ALDRICH, JUDGE SECOND CIRCUIT 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 257 
 
 in the wilderness and changed his course only after learning that 
 he was not followed by Hampton in force. Still, to make assur 
 ance certain and safety sure, he hastened across the Mattaponi, 
 putting that river, as well as the Pamunky, between him and 
 Hampton. Finally he got back to Grant after a long and tedious 
 march. Now listen to his story: "Found Hampton with all the 
 rebel cavalry at Trevillian s and whipped him, but Brecken- 
 ridge s division of infantry came to his rescue, and as I was 
 about out of ammunition, I deemed it best to come back." If 
 Sheridan had been even a tolerably fair general he would have 
 taken advantage of the scattered condition of Hampton s com 
 mand and destroyed him on the llth, and on the 12th he showed 
 himself anything but a master of the art of war by allowing 
 Butler to hold him in check with three brigades nearly all day 
 until Fitz. Lee could march around from Louisa Court House 
 and get into line to assist Butler. Sheridan was not by nature 
 suited to the command of cavalry. He was a dull man, and his 
 mind worked too slowly for the quick manoeuvres of the cavalry. 
 As an infantry officer Sheridan possessed fair ability, as a cav 
 alry officer he was the most absolute failure of all the many fail 
 ures which, one after another, w r as laid aside by Mr. Lincoln 
 as the war developed them. Nothing saved Sheridan from the 
 bleak, dreary shores of oblivion but the exhausted condition of 
 the Confederate cavalry, when he was assigned to the command 
 of the Federal cavalry. Few in number, short of forage, short of 
 rations, and constantly growing weaker as the enemy grew 
 stronger, the Confederate cavalry maintained itself as an equal, 
 if not more than a match, for its adversary to the end. Its 
 raids were always successful and its battles were victorious. 
 The story is too long to be fully told on an occasion like this. 
 I could tell you of Hampton s successful raid through the enemy s 
 lines to Cogins Point on the James, of his defeat of Gregg and 
 the capture of 25,000 head of fat beeves ; I could tell you of the 
 disastrous raid of Wilson to Staunton River : I could tell you of 
 Butler s victory at Reams Station, and Rossers successful raids 
 to New Creek and to Beverly ; I could tell you of the last victory 
 achieved by any part of our army, the destruction of General 
 Reid s command at the High Bridge on the 6th of April, three 
 days before the surrender where General Humphries says Rosser 
 
 17 B. C. 
 
258 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 killed General Reid, Colonel Washburn and every cavalry officer 
 in their (Yankee) command. 
 
 As the curtains were being drawn around the, last days of the 
 Confederacy, the courage and patriotism of the cavalry shone 
 out in more and more resplendent glory, and faltered not as the 
 star of her destiny approached the political horizon beneath 
 which it was so soon to sink forever. And finally, at Appomattox, 
 as fate blotted the gallant Confederacy from the map of the 
 world, the unconquered cavalry, like the eagle, whose lofty nest 
 had been torn from the mountain crag by the howling cyclone, 
 dashed triumphantly through the tempest of battle and defiantly 
 proclaimed, "The cavalry never surrenders." 
 
 In the House of Representatives, December 13, 1864. 
 
 The Committee on the Military, to whom was referred a letter 
 of Brigadier-General M. C. Butler, presenting to the State a 
 battle flag captured from the enemy at Trevillian Station by the 
 Fifth South Carolina Cavalry, beg leave to report, and recom 
 mend the adoption of, the following resolutions: 
 
 Resolved, That the thanks of this General Assembly be ten 
 dered to Brig.-Gen. M. C. Butler, and the officers and men 
 of the Fifth South Carolina Cavalry, for the battle flag of the 
 enemy presented to the State, and that the Governor be requested 
 to have it stamped with the date and place of its capture, and 
 the person by whom captured, and suitably suspended in the hall 
 of the House of Representatives. 
 
 Resolved, That the House do agree to the report. 
 
 Ordered, That it be sent to the Senate for concurrence. 
 
 By order : JOHN T. SLOAN, C. H. R. 
 
 In the Senate, December 23, 1864. 
 Resolved, That the Senate do concur in the report. 
 Ordered, That it be returned to the House of Representatives. 
 By order: WM. E. MARTIN, C. S. 
 
GEO. D. SHADBURNE, CHIEF OF HAMPTON S SCOUTS 
 
260 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 M. C. BUTLER A BORN SOLDIER 
 
 On the 8th day of March, 1836, when M. C. Butler was born 
 into this world, he was born a soldier. This great cavalry leader 
 had a way of winning battles that was terrible for the Yankees 
 to behold. 
 
 He speaks little of himself and much of others. 
 
 The following letters show how much he was admired and loved 
 from President Davis down to the humblest private soldier : 
 
 Beauvoir, Harrison County, Miss., 
 
 August 15, 1878. 
 General M. C. Butler, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. 
 
 My Dear General : Major Walthall this morning brought me your letter 
 from Mississippi City. 
 
 I hope you have found enough hope of usefulness in your life at Wash 
 ington to serve as an antidote to many unpleasant surroundings. 
 
 We are threatened with the formation of a new party, the frequent resort 
 in past times of the craftsmen who have succeeded to the old Federalists, 
 having all the vices, without the intellect and sturdy virtues which were the 
 redeeming traits of their predecessors. 
 
 I am living in great seclusion, and though I feel much, take no part in 
 the politics of the day. 
 
 As ever your friend, 
 
 JEFFERSON DAVIS. 
 
 Shadburne and Herrin, 
 
 Attorneys at Law, 
 415 Montgomery Street, 
 
 San Francisco, Cal., December 7, 1893. 
 General M. C. Butler, Senator, Washington, D. C. 
 
 My Dear General : I am greatly pleased to receive your kind favor of 
 the 27th inst. 
 
 It is always agreeable to know that we are not forgotten by those we 
 knew long years ago. Many times I have thought of your gallant self, 
 when, during the palmy days (if such we ever had) of our new-born 
 republic when we struggled and bled for the cause of right. With the eye 
 of memory I have seen you at the head of your army of loyal troopers 
 charging the fleeing foe; I have seen you bleeding and crippled, have seen 
 sad faces mourning your absence from the tented field, and again, after a 
 brief respite, I have seen your at your wonted place and astride your 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 261 
 
 charger leading your people on to victory. I have watched with pleasure 
 your career since our ill-fated undertaking went down in glooni, and though 
 I am a Californian, none of nay love and sympathy for the land of my birth 
 have ever waned. 
 
 I saw General Hampton when he was out here and was with him fre 
 quently, and it was with pleasure we reviewed the past. 
 
 I was in Washington five years since and saw the General then, and I am 
 sorry to see the marks of time so visible with him. While he seemed cheer 
 ful and comparatively happy, I could plainly see the marks of sadness, 
 and I regret that, as he said to me in one of his letters, there is but little 
 left to him but the memories of the past. 
 
 I thank you for your kind wishes in my behalf. I have prospered fairly 
 well and am surrounded by a pretty numerous family. 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 GEO. D. SHADBURNE. 
 
 Alma, Ark., R. F. D. No. 3, February 5, 1903. 
 General M. C. Butler, Augusta, Ga. 
 
 Dear General : I received a copy of The State a few days ago, of date 
 December 28, 1902, sent me by a friend, in which I see recorded the death 
 of our dear old surgeon, Dr. B. W. Taylor, also your tribute to his memory. 
 You refer therein to the time when you had your foot shot off near Stevens- 
 burg and how his prompt action and skillful operation saved your life. I 
 thought perhaps you would be interested in hearing from one of your old 
 regiment, Second South Carolina Cavalry, who was very near you when 
 this sad misfortune occurred. I was the first man to you after you 
 fell. I helped to take you up and place you first on a blanket ; then 
 after carrying you a short distance we found an old plank feed trough 
 and knocked out one end and placed you therein, and four of us 
 carried you with sticks under the trough, like rolling logs, till we 
 reached a place of safety, where Dr. Taylor performed the operation. 
 I remember well what you said to us when we started back to the front : 
 "Go back, boys, and pay them up for the loss of my foot." I remember well 
 just how you were sitting when the shot struck you. Captain Farley had 
 just ridden up, and you were talking about a battery the Yankees had just 
 got in position on the hill in the edge of the little town of Stevensburg, 
 and Hart s battery was just then being placed in position to oppose the 
 enemy s fire, but I think that about the first or second shot the enemy fired 
 they hit you and Captain Farley and killed both your horses. The shot was 
 ranging downward, came very near hitting me. It struck Captain Farley 
 and cut off his leg above the knee, and passed through his horse and cut off 
 your foot and went through the under part of your horse s bowels. You 
 all came down in a pile. Captain Farley soon died from his wounds; I 
 suppose the loss of blood was so great he could not survive it. Your horse 
 got up and ran a long ways with his bowels hanging out before he fell 
 and died. 
 
262 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Our lieutenant-colonel, the noble Hampton, was shot about the same time. 
 He and his horse both received their mortal wounds close together; his 
 horse ran with him quite a distance after being shot and went into a little 
 pine thicket and rider and horse fell dead at the same lime. 
 
 That was a sad day for our regiment. It was not long, however, till we 
 had the Yankees on the run back towards the fords of the Rappahannock. 
 
 A messmate of mine, who was captured and placed just behind that bat 
 tery that shot off your foot, told me some time after that (after he was 
 exchanged and returned to his command) that the very first shot that 
 Hart s battery fired after getting in position played terrible havoc with the 
 Yankee battery. He said it dismounted a gun, blew up a caisson and killed 
 and wounded a large number of men and officers. 
 
 I write because I thought you would be interested in these things and in 
 knowing that one of the men that helped to take you from the field still 
 survived. I belonged to Company F, Westfield s. 
 
 We w r ere in many a close place together after the occurrence related 
 above. 
 
 I am still a soldier, but am fighting under the banner of the Prince of 
 Peace. 
 
 I am a local elder in the M. E. Church, South. 
 
 I see in the papers that another of our old Confederate generals is gone 
 General Wheeler. One by one we are passing aw r ay. Soon we will all pass 
 over the river our ranks are growing thinner every year. 
 
 May there be a happy reunion of us all some day on the other shore, and 
 when our great Captain calls the roll, may we all be able to answer 
 "Present." 
 
 With the best wishes for your happiness and wellfare, I am, 
 
 Sincerely your old comrade, 
 
 A. H. LARK. 
 
 Lancaster, S. C., April 30, 1908. 
 General M. (7. Butler, Edgefield, 8. C. 
 
 My Dear General : Yours of the 27th inst. received. I wish, in reply, 
 to say that will be all right. There is nothing I know of to prevent me from 
 complying with your request in the matter, and I will certainly take 
 pleasure in doing so. 
 
 I remember with pleasure in "the days of auld lang syne," both in sight 
 and hearing of our commanding general on the march, and on the field of 
 battle, at Burgesse s Mill October 27, 1864. Just as General Hampton s sons 
 were shot down and Major Theo. G. Barker was so badly wounded, you 
 immediately sent a courier to Colonel Jeffords to charge who was killed 
 as soon as the message was delivered. How cool and calm you appeared 
 amidst those terrible scenes. It added to the romance of our soldier life 
 and cheered our drooping spirits, in seeing you and hearing the clear, 
 clarion notes of your voice as it rang out the command : "Forward, for 
 ward, forward," and that above the din of battle and the unceasing rattle 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 263 
 
 of small arms. How cheerfully and willingly your men obeyed that voice, 
 no matter the ordeal by fire through which they were passing. Under 
 cover of the "old worm fence" a steady stream of fire was hurled into the 
 Yankee line, twice our number, carrying death and destruction to the very 
 midst of them. Their laugh was turned to wailing. When the word came 
 down the line, "Prepare to advance," it was no sooner uttered than a solid 
 line was made ready to move at the command. The gray line swept 
 promptly down the steep sides of the woodland in a steady line into the 
 open. The whistling shells tore through the trees, cutting boughs, severing 
 limbs and branches and showering leaves and twigs upon the passing line, 
 and ofttimes wounding or crippling men as they came to earth. 
 
 Passing over the ground one might see the slaughtered horses of some 
 dismantled battery, harnessed yet to caisson or gun some struggling, 
 others wounded to the death. Not far away from the scene of carnage a 
 Yankee soldier lay clutching his sabre firmly in his dead hand; a little 
 back of him his horse lay dead. The tales of horror attending a battle 
 could not be told here. 
 
 Ladies were frequently exposed to fire, and I remember to have seen one 
 lying on the ground, her thigh shattered by a bullet. Ofttimes from the 
 piazza front women would wave handkerchiefs to the passing troops, asking 
 God s blessing on the men of the South as they rushed into action. On 
 one occasion at Stoney Creek, Va., Captain Waltour, a gallant one-armed 
 Confederate in charge of a cavalry recruiting camp, witnessed something 
 of the sadness of such scenes but by no means rare in the dark period of 
 the war. "So sad, so strange, the days that are no more." 
 
 But, General, I am still loyal to the old Confederacy, and equally so to 
 you in the present, as in our glorious past. And today, as one of your old 
 command, I am proud of you and of the "Confederates." 
 
 I am, my dear General, 
 
 Respectfully yours, 
 
 R. T. DUNLAP. 
 
264 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 A BOY COURIER S RECOLLECTION OF GENERAL 
 M. C. BUTLER 
 
 The Saturday s engagements at Trevillian Station was a 
 I outrance. Gallant men and beardless boys went to their death 
 that memorable day. From 7 A. M. the fight had waged until 
 night. When the bugle sang "truce" the night clouds had 
 lowered and the sentinel star sat its watch in the sky and the dead 
 and wounded rested under their lights. Sunday morning, June 
 12th, there was some firing along the line, and then a lull, for 
 "coming events" seemed to have cast their shadows before. It 
 was so quiet that General Hampton, having waited for the fur 
 ther developments of Sheridan s plans for the night, deemed it 
 timely to take a rest. 
 
 His saddle was placed at the root of a large tree, his cavalry 
 man s cloak ready to be thrown over him, and as he was about 
 to stretch his w r eary length, a terrific fire commenced along our 
 entire front, and as quickly responded to by that worn, weary, 
 but magnificent cavalry of the Army of Northern Virginia. 
 
 Fast and furious the storm gathered ; with a heroism belonging 
 to that army the fight continued. Nearing dark a hurried me ve- 
 ment on the part of Sheridan s command notified us that he had 
 tired of his death grapple and was in retreat. His bullets flew 
 far above our heads, and the shell soaring above in graceful 
 curves burst in mid air, doing little or no damage as the night 
 grew apace. 
 
 Far away in our front the rumble of wheels were heard ar 
 tillery and wagons were being hurried out of danger of Confed 
 erate cavalry. It was a retreat ordered by a disheartened Yan 
 kee general who had endeavored with a splendid command to 
 drive our cavalry back upon Richmond, but it proved a check 
 mate. Richmond was saved. 
 
 Nearing sunset I was ordered by General Wade Hampton to 
 convey an order to the dashing Butler. A fast ride, and withal 
 a dangerous one, enabled me to locate him. General Butler, in 
 the heyday of life, the picture of a beautiful manhood (he was 
 just 27 years old and a Major-General, C. S. A.) was mounted 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 265 
 
 and at the rear of Hart s battery. This command having been 
 all day engaged, was for the time being sending a spiteful shell 
 at the skedaddling Yanks. 
 
 The enemy would fire in return, but each fire semed more 
 nervous than the other. Now and then a bullet would whistle 
 unpleasantly near so near, in fact, that though the general 
 would not dodge, Hampton s courier would. 
 
 Whilst waiting for his order to ride back to my chief I 
 noticed between times the general s face and bearing. His face 
 was as quiet as if he was facing a party of ladies in a parlor, 
 or at a picnic, instead of hostile Yankees. He was nicely uni 
 formed, his right leg cast unconcernedly over the pommel of 
 his McClellan saddle, and with a neatly cut switch in his hand 
 tapping his boot heel. He seemed to me at the moment a picture 
 of absolute indifference to either fear or danger and it was 
 bravery, not recklessness. But an order from Major Hart rang 
 out: Cease firing, and immediately after I was ordered to 
 report back to my general : the order was a welcome one. Salut 
 ing and bending low to my saddle I made the homestretch in 
 safety, horse and rider glad enough to return with life and limb. 
 
 WADE HAMPTON MANNING. 
 Orderly Charleston Light Dragoons, Troop "K," Fourth South 
 
 Carolina Cavalry. 
 
 Beginning with March 31, 1865, when our command under 
 General W. H. F. Lee fought the bloody and victorious battle 
 at Chamberlain s Run, which was followed the next day, April 1, 
 by one of the decisive battles of history, that of Five Forks, the 
 first time I ever saw the Army of Northern Virginia stampeded. 
 
 We fought each day on until we reached Appomattox Court 
 House on the 8th of April ; on the night of the 8th of April our 
 battery (Pelham s old horse battery) was ordered forward to 
 meet a column of cavalry that was coming in from the South. 
 We met them all right and they were too strong for us, and we 
 were ordered to strike out for Lynchburg, which we reached 
 Sunday morning, the 9th, and a courier informed our commander 
 that General Lee had surrendered. Our battery disbanded at 
 once and the men struck out in every direction. I, with three or 
 four Virginians, made for Culpeper, where they lived, and I 
 
266 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 thought to reach Colonel Mosby s command. I never found them, 
 but in going over the mountains in Amherst County, my horse 
 cast a shoe and went lame. We rode up to a blaoksmith shop on 
 the roadside and asked the smith to shoe the horse and he refused. 
 I offered him $10 in our money and he refused that. I told him 
 that he would have to shoe the horse and we all drew our pistols, 
 and he then said if I would give him the bright staff buttons off 
 my jacket he would shoe the horse. I at once tore off eight of the 
 nine buttons, leaving one at the top, and he shod the horse, and 
 that is why there is but one button on my jacket, which is the 
 only thing I have left of my war outfit. 
 The nine buttons in the first place cost me $25. 
 
 D. CARDWELL. 
 
 Fort St. Michael, Alaska, March 6, 1908. 
 Colonel U. R. Brooks, Columbia, S. C. 
 
 Dear Sir: The Semi-Weekly State of October 8, 1907, which 
 reached me a few days ago, contained "Sketch which will appear 
 in Colonel U. R. Brooks forthcoming publication, Butler and 
 His Cavalry in the War of Secession, 1861- 65. " 
 
 On account of my father s connection with this command I am 
 especially interested in your book. Will you kindly have your 
 publisher send me a copy as soon as it is out? 
 
 I also note the interesting fact that General John Dunovant 
 was a captain in my present regiment and on duty with it in the 
 far West when he resigned to go into the Confederate service. 
 Yours very respectfully, 
 
 MARCUS B. STOKES, 
 Captain Tenth Infantry, U. S. A. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 26T 
 
 SHERIDAN S RETREAT, JUNE 12, 1864 
 
 When Sheridan started on his retreat from Trevillian Station 
 on Sunday evening about 9 P. M., the 12th of June, 1864, we 
 hounded him night and day through the hottest, dustiest, driest 
 country at that time on the continent. It was not an infrequent 
 thing for us to pass five or six or eight of Sheridan s horses 
 lying dead on the line of march. These horses had no doubt 
 broken down, were tied together and shot in their tracks, no 
 doubt to prevent their falling into our hands. 
 
 The reader will not be able to imagine our condition, eating 
 when we could find anything to eat, sleeping and living in the 
 stench of these dead animals. There was one helpful relief 
 derived from the unconquerable pluck and cheer of those splen 
 did Virginia women. As we would approach a house "Sheridan s 
 Raiders" had rifled and robbed, as they supposed of everything 
 they had to eat, these ladies would rush out, waving their hand 
 kerchiefs with unsubdued heroism, exclaiming as they recognized 
 the Confederate gray: "Get down, we have a little bread and 
 milk the Yankees did not get, and you shall have it!" God bless 
 them and their descendants. Sheridan made a long detour to the 
 left. Hampton kept his main column between Sheridan and 
 Richmond, his (Hampton s) division, commanded by the incom 
 parable Butler, with detachments harassing Sheridan s rear. 
 
 The night of the 20th of June, before we reached the White 
 House, Sheridan got under the protection of Yankee gunboats. 
 We dismounted near an old church. Before daylight our column 
 was put in motion, Butler leading the advance. About the early 
 dawn of day he came upon a reserve picket post of the Yankees. 
 They were not expecting us, were taken completely by surprise, 
 and every man at the post captured without firing a shot. This 
 picket post was located at the White House. Having taken the 
 pickets, so that no information could be carried into the fort, 
 General Butler decided to take the Fifth South Carolina Cavalry 
 and charge in on the garrison and take them by surprise. Just 
 as he had formed the regiment for the charge, a courier from 
 General Hampton came up post haste and directed General But- 
 
268 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 ler not to make any aggressive movement. I verily believe but 
 for this restraining order we would have taken the place and 
 everybody in it. A desultory skirmish was kept up for some 
 time, but all efforts to make an assault on the fort were 
 abandoned and we withdrew to the adjoining hills. We could 
 distinctly see the line of march of Sheridan s column many miles 
 to the north of us by the great clouds of dust. Fitz. Lee s 
 division was posted on Butler s right, where, having attracted 
 the attention of the gunboats in the river, they opened fire, send 
 ing what appeared to be fifteen-inch shells. The boys called them 
 "flour barrels." Whenever they struck the ground and exploded 
 they would shake the earth and make holes in the ground large 
 and deep enough to hide a small-sized horse. During the after 
 noon General Hampton withdrew and kept his command in a 
 position to cover the approaches to Richmond. Sheridan got 
 under the cover of his gunboats, and after resting a few days, 
 on the 24th June, dispatched Gregg with his division of Penn- 
 sylvanians. Gregg, too, was a hustling cavalry officer, none 
 better, and he moved out as if he meant to get to Richmond. 
 His and Butler s divisions came together near Symaria Church 
 and were exchanging "civilities" across an open field, each side 
 dismounted. Rosser s and Young s brigades of Hampton s 
 division, and Fitz. Lee s division, were strung out on Butler s 
 right, but were not engaged. 
 
 Butler received an order from General Hampton, who was 
 at Phillips house, four miles away, to attack Gregg vigorously. 
 Butler reported that if he moved on Gregg, protected by woods 
 and a line of fence, it \\;ould be a terrible loss of life to his 
 (Butler s) men, and suggested that he had had Gregg s right 
 flank, near the church, reconnoitered by Cloud, a dashing, intel 
 ligent Virginia scout, Dick Hogan and Wallace Miller. He 
 could not spare any troops from his line to make a flank move 
 ment. If General Hampton would detach a regiment from his 
 (Butler s) right, he could strike Gregg a fatal blow without 
 a great loss to our side. Before receiving answer to this sugges 
 tion, General Fitz Lee rode up to Butler s headquarters at the 
 foot of a large oak tree, where the bullets were flying uncom 
 fortably close. Upon being informed of the situation, Fitz 
 Lee dispatched his staff officer, Major Dug Ferguson, asking to 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 269 
 
 be allowed to take command in the field. The result was General 
 Hampton granted the request, and wrote a note to General 
 Butler to take orders from General Lee. (This correspondence 
 ought to be in existence somewhere). The couriers and staff were 
 fully advised of it at the time. However that may be, General 
 Lee fully concurred with General Butler and ordered the Ninth 
 Virginia, commanded by Colonel Beale, to report to Butler, who 
 in the meantime increased the fire across the field to attract 
 Gregg s attention. 
 
 Beale was sent off from Butler s left, guided by Cloud. Hogan 
 and Miller and other scouts, under cover of a hill and thick woods, 
 and as soon as he gained Gregg s right, made a vigorous assault, 
 which compelled the latter to withdraw hurriedly and with a 
 good deal of confusion. General Butler then rushed his line 
 across the open field and Gregg s discomfiture was complete and 
 amounted almost to a rout. General Butler ordered the Jeff 
 Davis legion (of Young s brigade), mounted, under the com 
 mand of that gallant officer and gentleman, Lieutenant- Colonel 
 Waring of Savannah, to pursue with his mounted column, and 
 right lustily did he carry out his orders. 
 
 We pursued Gregg s Yankee cavalry until some time after 
 dark, captured a large number, as I now remember about three 
 hundred, one lieutenant-colonel and several other commissioned 
 officers. They were sent to Richmond with a detachment, under 
 command of Captain A. P. Butler, of General Butler s staff. 
 After Waring had got fully under way, cutting and slashing as 
 he went, General Butler followed with staff and couriers in his 
 w T ake, meantime ordering his dismounted men to the saddle. 
 
 General Lee, with his division and Rosser s and Young s 
 brigades, moved in from our right to take Gregg on his left 
 and rear, but Gregg was too fleet of foot and got away under 
 cover of darkness with the losses I have mentioned. 
 
 And now I will describe a scene which was truly pathetic and 
 distressing. As Ave went moving along in a sweeping trot on 
 Waring s track with the rest of our division, which had promptly 
 mounted and joined in the pursuit, General Butler observed a 
 large man with long red side whiskers lying on the roadside on 
 an improvised stretcher, an army blanket and two poles attached 
 to each end. It turned out to be Lieutenant- Colonel Covode of 
 
270 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 the Fourth Pennsylvania Cavalry. Butler halted, and upon 
 Colonel Covode being informed who it was, said, among other 
 things: "This is the fate of Sheridan s raiders, but, General, I 
 have the consolation of knowing that I have done nothing dis 
 honorable during this raid." General Butler replied: "However 
 that may be, sir, I certainly would not remind you of it under, 
 present conditions," and then inquired if he was seriously 
 wounded. Colonel Covode replied: "Yes, my left arm is shat 
 tered, and our litter bearers dropped me here when your cavalry 
 charged and overtook us." Under instructions from General 
 Butler, Dr. B. W. Taylor, chief surgeon of the division, of 
 Columbia, S. C., dismounted and gave Colonel Covode some 
 apple brandy. 
 
 General Butler directed Dr. Taylor to have him sent to the 
 rear to a field infirmary, I think Symaria Church, and properly 
 attended to. Dr. Taylor found that in addition to the shattered 
 arm Colonel Covode had received a pistol shot in the back, from 
 which he died soon after reaching the field hospital. General 
 Butler s theory was that Colonel Covode would not disclose the 
 fact that he was shot in the back from pride, as an indication 
 of cowardice, but no such inference can be drawn from such a 
 wound, as in a cavalry melee a man is as apt to be shot in the 
 back as in the breast or forehead. This wound of Colonel Covode s 
 was no badge of dishonor or cowardice. We learned afterwards 
 that Colonel Covode was one of the most gallant, meritorious 
 officers in Gregg s division. Colonel Covode s father was a dis 
 tinguished member of Congress from Pennsylvania, extremely 
 radical towards the South, and referred to the death of his son 
 in the most bitter and relentless terms, as we afterwards learned, 
 and among other things said, they had never been able to find or 
 recover his body. No doubt he was buried with other dead 
 near Symaria Church, and if the Confederates had been ap 
 proached in a proper manner, his grave could have been iden 
 tified and his body recovered. We were certainly not to blame 
 for his death. He only met the fate of thousands of good men 
 who take their lives in their hands when they go to war and 
 into battle. 
 
 "The next dreadful thing to a battle lost is a battle won." 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 271 
 
 SOME ONE SHOULD WRITE THE HISTORY OF 
 EVERY BRIGADE 
 
 I would like to be understood in recounting the services of the 
 command to which I belonged, "Butler s Cavalry," I do not 
 intend to disparage the gallant deeds of any other command 
 or to draw any contrast between our military performances 
 and the achievements of others. It is to be hoped that some one 
 identified with the other cavalry commands of the Army of 
 Northern Virginia will preserve a record of their heroic work, 
 as I am trying, perhaps in an imperfect and cursory manner, 
 to do for "Butler s Cavalry." I wish some one would write up 
 the good work of the gallant scouts of other commands, such 
 scouts as C. S. McCall and John F. McLaurin of the Hampton 
 Legion. Will their comrades allow their names to sink into 
 oblivion ? 
 
 After disposing of Sheridan at Trevillian Station and Gregg 
 at Symaria Church, as I recounted in a former paper, Hampton s 
 and Fitz. Lee s divisions were ordered across the James River, 
 below Richmond, to look after Wilson, who was turned back 
 from his raid at Staunton River by the Home Guards and such 
 regular Confederate soldiers as could be hurriedly assembled 
 at the river in his front. Suffice it to say in that connection 
 Wilson was returning to Grant s lines, having been dispatched 
 with two divisions of cavalry from Grant s left almost simul 
 taneously with Sheridan s movement towards Gordonsville and 
 Lynchburg from Grant s right. When we started to cross the 
 James River the latter part of June, 1864, which we accomplished 
 on a pontoon bridge soon in the morning of the 27th June, 1864, 
 General Hampton placed General Butler in command of the 
 column and paid a hurried visit to Richmond. After crossing 
 the James River General Butler moved as rapidly as the heat 
 and dust would permit for the jaded horses, which had scarcely 
 been unsaddled since Wednesday, 8th day of June. We 
 reached General Lee s headquarters near Petersburg about 
 midday. General Lee s tents were pitched in an oak grove 
 across the Appomattox opposite to Petersburg. I here insert a 
 
272 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 correspondence with General Butler, which explains an inter 
 esting incident that occurred there : 
 
 Columbia, S. C., 47th March, 1908. 
 General M. <7. Butler, EdgefieU, S. C. 
 
 My Dear General : Won t you be so kind as to tell of the interview you 
 had with General Robt. E. Lee at his headquarters near Petersburg on 
 the 27th day of June, 1864, while we were on the march to intercept Wil 
 son. We have had several versions of that conference and I would be 
 greatly obliged if you give me the facts. 
 
 Very sincerely yours, 
 
 U. R. BROOKS. 
 
 Edgefield, S. C., March 27, 1908. 
 
 My Dear Brooks: It has been a great many years since the incident to 
 which you refer in your note of the 17th inst. I have a very vivid recol 
 lection of the interview and will give it to you as I remember it. You know 
 it is said that an old man recalls events of his earlier years with more 
 distinctness than those of his later life, and I believe it is true. When 
 the head of our column reached the point on the turnpike opposite to 
 General Lee s headquarters on the fearfully hot day, I dismounted and 
 asked his orderly to notify the general of my presence. He returned in a 
 few minutes with a request from General Lee that I come to his tent. He 
 received me with that stately cordiality which no other man that I ever 
 met had in the same degree. 
 
 After being seated, and before entering upon his instructions, he reached 
 over and picked up from a table a beautiful white table napkin, and here 
 is about what followed. He said to me : "General, here are some rolls the 
 kind ladies have sent for my lunch and you must have them with me, as 
 you must be fatigued and hungry after your exhausting splendid campaign 
 against Sheridan at Trevillian and Gregg at Symaria Church. I only wish 
 I had enough to divide with your gallant soldiers who have distinguished 
 themselves so nobly." 
 
 These expressions, uttered With so much sincerity and feeling, made a 
 profound impression on my then rather youthful mind. The rolls were the 
 likeliest home-made Virginia product, sandwiched with home-made Virginia 
 ham. You know what that means, "food fit for the gods." I was hungry 
 as a college boy they are always hungry but I declined, saying: "No, 
 General, you will require this lunch yourself, I can magage to get along." 
 "But I insist," he replied, and handed me the unpinned napkin. Inasmuch 
 as he was my commanding general and the most knightly gentleman and 
 ablest soldier who ever trod the earth, in his own tent, I had nothing to 
 do but to obey. While we were disposing of the lunch, among other things 
 General Lee remarked that his latest information of Wilson s where 
 abouts on his return from Staunton River was that he was approaching 
 the Petersburg and Weldon Railroad in the neighborhood or at Stony 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 273 
 
 Creek Station, twenty miles south of Petersburg, and that he was very 
 anxious to have me interpose my command between Wilson and the rail 
 road as early as possible; that Wm. H. F. Lee s division had been con 
 testing Wilson s march and inflicted serious damage upon him, that the 
 Holcombe Legion Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Crawley, 
 was at or near Stony Creek Station, etc. I replied that we had marched 
 about twenty miles that morning by midday, that our horses were very 
 much jaded, but that if he desired I would push through to Stony Creek 
 that night, but I would not promise how many of our horses would survive 
 the ordeal. General Lee said: "No, I don t want you to do that; move 
 out five or six miles, bivouac for the night, refresh your horses and men 
 as much as possible and move early tomorrow morning and get to Stony 
 Creek as promptly as possible." This ended the interview. As I was about 
 to take my departure he remarked with that gracious, sympathetic manner 
 which was never excelled, "General, I trust your artificial limb is not 
 troubling you." "No, sir," I replied, "I am not much of a pedestrian, but in 
 the saddle I am as good as ever." He smiled, escorted me out into the 
 grove where his headquarters were established, shaking my hand he bade 
 me godspeed. The foregoing is the substance of that conference as clear 
 in my mind as the day it was held. You know the rest. 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 M. C. BUTLER, SR. 
 
 I am quite sure this letter will interest my readers, so charac 
 teristic of both parties to the historic conference. Think of it. 
 General Lee was almost, if not quite, double the age of General 
 Butler, and yet these general officers, so different in age and mili 
 tary training, interchanging views in perfect confidence. Gen 
 eral Lee, by education and long training, a master in the art 
 of war, General Butler s military education, from captain to 
 major-general, was acquired in camp and on the battlefield, the 
 severest test of military qualities and fitness for a soldier. We 
 mounted after the interview, and with staff and couriers General 
 Butler took his place at the head of the column. We moved in 
 column of fours through the city of Petersburg, and after 
 clearing the city struck out in a southerly direction, skirting 
 the Petersburg and Weldon Kailroad. After getting out about 
 seven miles we halted for the night and bivouacked in a field 
 filled with shocks of bearded wheat. The bearded wheat was the 
 forage for our horses (would kill the average horse now), but 
 our poor tired animals appeared to enjoy it. How the men 
 were provided with rations I cannot now recall, but in those 
 days we were young and did not quail before hardships. Well, 
 
 18 B. C. 
 
274 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 we spent the night in the wheat field and bright and early by 
 daylight, the 28th of June, we were mounted and set out for 
 Stony Creek thirteen miles away, reaching thefe in time. Mean 
 time General Hampton had come down from Richmond on the 
 train and joined us. Our vigilant and restless scouts, God bless 
 them, kept us informed of Wilson s whereabouts and movements. 
 On the strength of their information General Hampton posted 
 the Holcombe Infantry legion (in which my old friend Dick 
 Anderson, now from Edgefield, S. C., was a private soldier, 
 youthful but a first-class gallant soldier), and the cavalry dis 
 mounted with our right and left resting on a swamp, about two 
 or three miles from Stony Creek Station on the Petersburg and 
 Weldon Railroad and a short distance from Sappony Church. 
 
 Wilson undertook to break through our lines shortly after 
 dark by making a most determined assault with his dismounted 
 cavalry and horse artillery. We gave him a warm reception and 
 drove him back. He renewed the attack at intervals throughout 
 the night, always with the same result. When we would drive 
 them back our boys in relays w r ould lie down behind the line of 
 breastworks, thrown up on the shortest notice of fence rails, logs, 
 rocks any old thing in reach that would stop bullets and 
 spelled each other with naps of sleep, always, however, with their 
 guns ready to fire at their sides. Up we would jump on the 
 approach of Wilson s lines and pour a volley from the Enfield 
 rifles into their ranks in the dark, which Wilson s men could not 
 stand. Thus was kept up all night a most remarkable combat. 
 
 Now let us give the facts of an incident that came within the 
 knowledge of the couriers, for we were active participants. 
 Sometime after midnight General Butler rode down our lines 
 to the right to reconnoitre. He came upon the Thirteenth Vir 
 ginia Cavalry, commanded by that splendid specimen of a sol 
 dier, Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips. Colonel Phillips informed Gen 
 eral Butler that the Yankees had one of their batteries in the yard 
 of the mother of one of his men, Young Epps. That the young 
 man, born and raised there, was thoroughly familiar with the 
 locality, and could pilot a colmun on the west side of the swamp, 
 pass Wilson s left and get in his rear. General Butler sent for 
 the young man and learned from him that a flank movement 
 was practicable. General Butler reported this to General Hamp- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 275 
 
 ton, agreeing, if he was furnished with one hundred picked men, 
 he would get in Wilson s rear before daylight. General Hamp 
 ton rather reluctantly consented, but directed General Butler to 
 select his men and undertake the movement. 
 
 The selecting and organization of the one hundred men was 
 the work of a very short time. We moved off, with Young Epps 
 by General Butler s side at the head of the column, with officers 
 and couriers immediately at their heels, passing down the swamp 
 as quietly as mice, protected from view by the darkness and 
 dense thicket, we moved through a level broom sage old field, 
 which muffled the tread of the horses and got beyond Wilson s 
 extreme left. We could hear the officers in charge of the battery 
 in Mrs. Epps field giving orders for the firing. After getting 
 some distance beyond Wilson s left, the guide thought the 
 crossing of the swamp was sufficiently firm to get us over, con 
 sequently we turned in, but had not proceeded far when the 
 young man suggested he was afraid it would not be safe on 
 account of the boggy condition of the swamp. He said that there 
 was another crossing lower down, so we pulled out and proceeded 
 further down, made a second attempt, and again the guide 
 thought it was too boggy. We could hear the old soldiers in the 
 rear saying the "dominecker has struck that boy, etc., but the 
 old general will sit up with him until he finds a way over." The 
 sequel will show how unfounded were their criticisms. When 
 we pulled out a second time General Butler remarked, with 
 some impatience: "Is there any other place we can cross?" 
 "Yes, sir," replied the guide, "there is a better crossing lower 
 down still." Well, we proceeded to the third crossing, started in, 
 and the guide suggested that he was afraid that was not safe. 
 General Butler then turned to him and said : "Now, young man, 
 if you do not conduct this column over this swamp, I will 
 have you tied to your horse and send you in front." The result 
 was that \ve moved rapidly across, rather boggy in some places, 
 dismounted, sent the horses back, and deployed in open order, as 
 far as a hundred men would reach, with that formation immedi 
 ately in Wilson s rear. 
 
 Daylight was near at hand when we moved up, opened fire, 
 before the enemy had any knowledge of our presence. The 
 scene that followed baffles description, as old Bill McKinney 
 
276 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 says, the "fur flew." When General Hampton heard our fire in 
 Wilson s rear he pushed forward to the main line, and our friends 
 the Yankees were literally "between two fires!" There was but 
 one thing for them to do get out of that "neck of woods," and 
 they did so without ceremony or leave. 
 
 They were completely demoralized. They would rush through 
 our thin line of skirmishers in squads of twenty or thirty, deco 
 rated with all kinds of paraphernalia they had stolen from the 
 people on their raid. It was not uncommon for our boys to have 
 personal encounters w r ith them, when the butts of our rifles 
 served a good purpose. When we formed and moved up to 
 attack, it was discovered that the "dominecker" had not struck 
 our gallant young guide Eppes, who was among the foremost 
 in the fray. He was more familiar w r ith the swamp than any of 
 us, and may have been over cautious as a pilot across it, but it 
 was not fear or timidity as his subsequent conduct proved. 
 
 Instead of crossing the Petersburg and Weldon Railroad at 
 or near Stony Creek Station, as the Yankee General Wilson 
 evidently intended, he took a long circuitous route around Not- 
 taway Court House with his demoralized troopers. How or when 
 he reached Grant s lines this deponent sayeth not, but that he 
 had about the roughest time of his life I think it will not be 
 denied. 
 
 The Yankee raiders lost thirteen hundred prisoners, besides 
 there were numerous dead and wounded left on the fields and 
 by-ways. But this, though bad enough, was not the worst of it 
 for Wilson, for the demoralization produced by the mode of their 
 escape was even more damaging to his troops than the losses. 
 
 Wallace Miller, Schadbourne, Rife, Dan Tanner, Jim Sloan 
 and Shake Harris captured eighty Yankees by themselves. A 
 clear case of bluff. They surrounded them. Chews , Pelham s 
 and Hart s horse artillery covered themselves with glory. Our 
 distinguished fellow townsman, Colonel D. Cardwell, w r as a gal 
 lant member of Pelhanrs battery. When Dave Cardwell and a 
 comrade left Appomattox they stopped at a blacksmith shop and 
 asked to have their horses shod. The man at the anvil said: "I 
 must be paid before I shoe the horses." "Very well," they said, 
 "we will shoot you." The blacksmith looked at them and said to 
 Cardwell: "Give me the buttons on your jacket and I will shoe 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 277 
 
 both horses." The trade was made and each complied with the 
 contract. 
 
 General Wilson was one of the ablest, most dashing cavalry 
 officers in the Yankee army equal to Sheridan, Pleasanton or 
 any of them. 
 
 We learned from the Yankee prisoners that he was always 
 well mounted, a fine horseman and dressed in the latest, most 
 attractive style. General Kautz, commanding one of Wilson s 
 divisions, moved up the Rowanty Creek, and before he could 
 reach the railroad he encountered Fitz. Lee, who smashed and 
 demolished him, taking a number of prisoners and vehicles his 
 men had stolen from the people. Kautz and his men had served 
 awhile under the old Yankee General Beast F. Butler, and ac 
 quired the habit of stealing everything in sight. Kautz, how 
 ever, got through in the night time by by-ways and unfre 
 quented roads and made his escape. I haven t the data before me, 
 but besides the thirteen hundred prisoners, horses, wagons, 
 ambulances and cannon, etc., we had knocked Sheridan out at 
 Trevillian two weeks before, and this defeat of Wilson was a 
 terrible blow to Grant s cavalry. We pushed Wilson until 2 
 o clock that fearfully hot June day and had to stop from sheer 
 exhaustion. 
 
 Our losses in killed and wounded were heavy. Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Stokes of the Fourth South Carolina Cavalry behaved 
 with great gallantry. Among others Lieutenant- Colonel Crow- 
 ley of the Holcombe legion was badly but not dangerously 
 wounded. Let me relate a little incident that I witnessed, which 
 shows to what straits our medical department was reduced. 
 The surgeons had converted Sappony Church, not far from the 
 battlefield, into a field hospital. On our return to camp at Stony 
 Creek, General Butler, accompanied by Colonel Rutledge, stopped 
 at the church to inquire after the wounded. The table upon 
 which the surgeons had operated was piled up with arms and 
 legs, under a large oak tree. The poor wounded men were inside 
 the church. After getting all the information possible, General 
 Butler, who offered any assistance in his power, asked the surgeon 
 in charge if he had anything to drink, stating that we were about 
 to expire from loss of sleep, hunger, thirst and heat. The doctor 
 replied that he had nothing in the way of stimulants except 
 
278 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 sorghum whiskey. The General and Colonel Rutledge exclaimed : 
 "Give us some of it; any port in a storm." When they tasted it 
 the stuff was so vile they had to reject it. General Butler said : 
 "Doctor, are you giving these wounded men this for a stim 
 ulant?" "Well, sir," the doctor replied, "it is all we have." 
 General Butler remarked: "If Yankee bullets don t kill these 
 poor fellows, that stuff will." 
 
 We reached the bivouac about sunset, and if we did not sleep 
 the sleep of the righteous, we slept the sleep of the weary. 
 
 Thus ended the chapter of the most brilliant and remarkable 
 achievement of the cavalry of the Army of Northern Virginia 
 or any other army. General Hampton has frequently said that 
 General Butler was the best soldier he ever saw. Sheridan at 
 Trevillian, Gregg at Symaria Church, Wilson at Sappony 
 Church, all defeated and put to flight within a period of twenty- 
 one days, from the 8th to the 28th of June, inclusive. All three 
 of them largely superior in numbers, equipment, supplies, etc., 
 but they did not have the grit and staying qualities of our boys. 
 All three of them the ablest in the Yankee army. "The coward 
 was the exception in the Confederate army." 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 279 
 
 WILSON S RAID 
 
 About the 20th day of June, 1864, Wilson and Kautz started 
 on a raid which to them at that time was pretentious in its pro 
 portions. The South w y as bleeding at every pore; starvation, 
 battle, vandalism, had done their worst, and the young Con 
 federacy was trembling in the balance, our glorious banner, the 
 cross of Southern glory, that had written its history on many a 
 bloody field, had been torn and riddled and tattered, yet it 
 proudly waved and its people s hopes w r ere not dead. The fields 
 of Virginia had been incardined with the best blood of a great 
 and magnanimous people; Sheridan, in his fiendish hold, had 
 overrun the valley of Virginia, and after leaving nothing but 
 charred ruins, weeping and desolation in his w r ake, had sent to 
 Grant his memorable dispatch : "I have depopulated the valley of 
 Virginia so that a crow flying over it must carry his rations 
 with him." 
 
 The cup of sorrow of "our people" was filled to the brim with 
 tears and tribulations, and hope seemed to have plumed her 
 flight for other spheres. This, to those spirits of Yankee enter 
 prise, Wilson and Kautz, was the opportunity of their lives, and 
 their lust for booty and beauty knew no bounds; they would 
 eclipse in the valley of Petersburg the glorious ( ? ) vandalism 
 of the illustrious Sheridan, whose greatest renown was for fight 
 ing women and children and burning and ravishing their homes. 
 Their hearts were elated with the prospect, So they went forth 
 with about 4,000 of their best men, magnificently mounted and 
 caparisoned, and right through our best country they marched 
 and devastated, until their infernal appetites for plunder and 
 desolation were about \satiated. We had no men to follow them, 
 as we had our hands full with Sheridan, whom we had recently 
 ignominiously defeated at Trevillian Depot, yet we managed to 
 detach Butler and his men and he was prepared to meet them 
 on their return. They expected to cross the railroad at or near 
 Stoney Creek, and here Wilson, laden heavily with his stolen 
 goods, came on the night of the 28th, a dark and starless night, 
 but he met the surprise of his life. Butler and his men were there 
 
280 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 to meet him right in his way he met them and our glorious 
 Hampton was also to the front. We had thrown up temporary 
 breastworks of fence rails across the line of Wilson s march, and 
 behind these reclined in calm expectancy our gallant men. The 
 scene was in a sparse woodland, the writer remembers it well, and 
 here he reported to his chief, the man who to him above all others 
 embodied all that was great, grand, glorious and chivalric, that 
 great man, General Wade Hampton, then the chief cavalry 
 officer of all the South ; he and General Butler were the favorite 
 children of dear old South Carolina, and were as her nemeses, 
 ever ready to do godly deeds of valor in her honor. While wait 
 ing for the enemy at our place of rendezvous, as above stated, a 
 curious incident, illustrative of the intelligence of the horse, 
 occurred to the writer. He was lying in a bed of leaves by the side 
 of General Hampton, awaiting his directions (he never ordered), 
 and was half asleep, tired and weary, when he felt a sudden 
 jerking at his jacket, and springing up, found his horse was 
 doing the pulling, then the horse loosed his hold, rustled the leaves 
 with his nose and whinneyed, thus telling his master he was 
 hungry. About midnight Wilson came, and evidently knowing 
 that we were there, prepared for the attack ; dismounting his men 
 and conducting them in the most secret array, they fairly crept 
 upon us, and suddenly they poured forth such a fusilade and 
 rent the air with such commotion that hell seemed to have broken 
 forth. Confusion amongst us horsemen momentarily ensued, 
 and the writer charged around like mad, crying for General 
 Hampton, when suddenly, right by his side, calmly the general 
 responded "Here am I." Our boys gallantly, joyously, hilariously 
 responded to the enemy and rose up and with a tremendous rebel 
 yell were upon them, then pandemonium with the enemy fol 
 lowed, and in a few moments it was every fellow for himself and 
 all went fleeing wildly, madly, frenziedly, towards Reams Sta 
 tion, a few miles away. Kautz had tried for an exit at Reams 
 Station and there had met General Fitzhugh Lee and his men 
 and had fared no better than Wilson. By dawn, both Wilson and 
 Kautz were in the toils so completely that their only thought was 
 escape. At this juncture, the writer all alone undertook to "find" 
 the enemy, and wending his way through the great forest near 
 the road to Reams Station, he suddenly emerged into view of that 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 281 
 
 highway, when he beheld a scene long to be remembered. The 
 road was packed with the enemy, every vestige of booty gone, 
 some mounted, many dismounted, all fleeing in the wildest con 
 fusion to, they knew not where, anywhere to get away from the 
 hated rebels. Then he dashed upon them and commanded those 
 near him to surrender, which they willingly did, and he marched 
 seventeen of them, still heavily armed, into our command and 
 turned them over to General Butler. Now all means of escape to 
 our valiant foe seemed to be cut off, and we were hoping to cap 
 ture him bodily; it was about noon, a hot June day, General 
 Hampton, in person, with his staff and about one thousand men, 
 lay concealed in the woods near the railroad, waiting for Kautz, 
 and Shadburne, desiring to find that worthy, started again for the 
 road where he had captured the seventeen, six of his own scouts 
 accompanied him, when one of his greatest adventures, and the 
 one that won for him his captaincy, ensued. As he approached 
 the edge of the forest before mentioned, six men, an advance 
 guard of the enemy, met him and were soon captured, when, as 
 he entered the woods, the enemy, as far as he could see, were 
 before him. Then Miller, of South Carolina, said, "What are 
 you going to do?" Shadburne coolly responded, "Capture them." 
 "My God," said Miller. Then wheeling into the edge of the road, 
 Shadburne, in stentorian tones, commanded the enemy to sur 
 render, saying that he was a brigadier-general and that he had 
 Mosby at his back, and ordered his men forward, and they defiled 
 into view, one, two, three, four, five, six, the command rang out, 
 "Ready, aim" (and every arm was to the fore), when the enemy 
 responded, "Don t shoot, don t shoot; we ll surrender." Without 
 halting them, they were required to throw down their arms, they 
 threw them into the road, then turning about, Shadburne dis 
 patched one of his men to General Hampton with the information 
 that "he was coming with the enemy," commanded, "Forward, 
 march; form fours, gallop, march," and in a few moments 
 swooped upon and around General Hampton, who exclaimed: 
 "Shadburne, how many men did you have?" He answered, "Six, 
 but look out, Kautz is on us," and such was true. We had cap 
 tured his advance guard of eighty men, and seeing no interrup 
 tion, and seeing the gallant charge of his men, he supposed all 
 was well and came thundering down upon General Hampton 
 
282 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 where he lay with his guns unlimbered and ready, and before they 
 could work, broke through and with about 300 men escaped. 
 
 General Hampton directed Shadburne to take 00 men and pur 
 sue, and he, in response, rushed to the colonels of regiments and 
 called for men and soon had the 200 and was about to march 
 when Colonel Wright, of Georgia, commanding Young s Brigade, 
 commanded that he stop, and "that if he undertook that feat 
 again (calling out his men without his orders), he would place 
 him under arrest," and the 200 were disbanded, and by the time 
 Shadburne had presented General Hampton s order and another 
 200 were counted off, the enemy were so far in the lead that his 
 capture was impossible. Our march was fast and furious, but 
 of no avail, we did not even sight him, and Colonel Wright was to 
 blame, and it was with difficulty that Shadburne ever forgave 
 him, but he could not do otherwise, for Colonel Wright was a 
 gallant soldier, a gentleman, a true friend and technically he 
 was right. 
 
 Wilson and Kautz slipped into their lines with 2,000 less than 
 when they started, their ammunition gone, their valor gone, their 
 honor, if they ever had any, gone, and were but little heard of 
 ever after, so requiescat in pace. 
 
 The gallant six who were with Shadburne in the capture of 
 those eighty men were, so far as his memory bears him, as fol 
 lows, to wit : James M. Sloan, of North Carolina ; Davis Smith, 
 of Georgia ; Wallace Miller, of South Carolina ; Rife, of Mis 
 sissippi ; Daniel Tanner, of Georgia, and Shakespeare Harris, of 
 North Carolina. Of course, this is from memory, and the writer 
 would greatly deplore doing injustice to any of his gallant scouts 
 by omission ; they all would have been present had they not been 
 on other duty, for they were often tried and were never found 
 wanting. They were picked men, selected from the entire cavalry 
 command on account of their well-known gallantry and courage 
 and devotion, and in all his experience Shadburne never had one 
 of his regeular posse recreant, but, on the contrary, they never 
 winced nor wailed, but were ever to the fore. They were a band 
 of good fellows, brave, chivalrous, kind, gentle, honorable and 
 true as steel, and they loved their leader with their lives. And 
 here it may be said that but three of them were killed, although 
 they were in many a conflict. These were Sergeant McCalla, of 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 283* 
 
 South Carolina; Bourck, of the same State, and Cleel, of Texas. 
 Their spirits winged their flight in front of the enemy, their 
 hearts were warm in love of their native land. Bourck, it was 
 said, was the first man to volunteer from his beloved State. For 
 each of them many tears have been shed, and may God rest their 
 souls. 
 
 "There is a tear for all that die, 
 
 A mourner o er the humblest grave, 
 But nations swell the funeral cry, 
 
 And triumph weeps above the brave." 
 
 GEO. D. SHADBURNE, 
 
 Chief of Scouts. 
 This December 17th, 1908, at San Francisco. 
 
284 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 GRAVELLY RUN, VIRGINIA 
 
 On the 23rd August, 1864, General Butler was directed to 
 relieve Barringer s North Carolina Brigade of Cavalry on 
 picket, to the north of Eeams Station. Butler crossed the Run 
 early on the morning of the 23rd, about the time Barringer be 
 gan his movement retiring from his picket line. The Yankees 
 advanced in force to attack. The result was Butler was com 
 pelled to meet the attack and endeavor to reach the picket lines 
 from which Barringer had retired. The front of the attacking 
 line was led by Colonel Spear, commanding a Pennsylvania 
 brigade of cavalry, supported by a division of cavalry, and as it 
 was understood at the time, had infantry supports. 
 
 Colonel Spear had been a sergeant in one of the mounted regi 
 ments in the old army, a most vigorous and aggressive fighter. 
 When he locked horns with the advance of Butler s division 
 early on the morning of the 23rd of August, it meant that there 
 was something doing and business ahead. When Butler had 
 deployed his men in an open field to fight on foot, Spear sent 
 forward about a squadron or two and made a mounted charge 
 on a part of Butler s line, and broke through it. The result was 
 some demoralization in a part of Rosser s and Dunovant s brigades. 
 General Butler discovered the break in his line, which had not 
 retired more than a hundred yards, and rallied them, calling their 
 attention to Sergeant Shands, one of the most gallant men in 
 the Army of Northern Virginia, of Captain Goodwyn s Com 
 pany "C," Sixth South Carolina Cavalry, who was kneeling on 
 an eminence on one knee, keeping up a deliberate fire with his 
 rifle after Spear s column had passed to his rear. While Butler 
 was reforming the line to renew the attack, Colonel Rutledge of 
 the Fourth South Carolina Cavalry and some other field officers 
 suggested that the men were too much demoralized to renew the 
 attack. It is proper to mention that the brigade commanders 
 of Butler s division, Rosser, Young and Dunovant, were all suf 
 fering from wounds previously received and not on duty, although 
 present on the field. General Butler hurriedly called a sort of 
 counsel of war, suggested that nothing of a serious nature had 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 285 
 
 occurred to demoralize the men, and he intended to order them 
 forward to attack. When the brave Yankee cavalry broke 
 through our lines they surrounded General Butler, and he seemed 
 only disturbed enough to call to some of his dismounted men to 
 run these fellows away, which they promptly did. I never 
 witnessed such a cool thing before or since. The Yankees fought 
 desperately and why they did not kill General Butler was be 
 cause, I suppose, the good Lord was not ready for him to die. 
 He seemed to have a charmed life. Generals Young and Duno- 
 vant were not in the immediate vicinity, but Rosser was, although 
 still off duty, suffering from a severe wound he had received on 
 the llth June, 1864, at the Trevillian Station battle. Rosser 
 promptly interceded, and remarked that if his men were de 
 moralized, which he did not believe, "he could fight it out of them 
 before night." General Butler then ordered the entire dis 
 mounted line to move forward and attack the enemy. There was 
 nothing in their conduct to indicate the men were demoralized, 
 for they moved forward in perfect order, swept over the field, 
 including the eminence which Shands had defended. It really 
 did seem to me that our men were inspired by General Butler s 
 cool, deliberate way of giving orders, while the Yankees were 
 fighting hand to hand all round him. Our cavalry drove the 
 Yankees into a piece of woods. The Yankees retired stubbornly, 
 contesting every foot of ground. A rail fence intervened be 
 tween the lines. Our line was advancing in good order. General 
 Butler spurred his horse and leaped the fence, calling to the men 
 to forward. They responded with alacrity and vim, and with the 
 rebel yell drove everything before them. The fight was kept up 
 until after dark, when each side improvised breastworks of rails, 
 logs, rocks, and such material of defense as old soldiers on both 
 sides understood how to provide without the instructions of 
 engineers or technical advice. It was a fierce combat, the losses 
 were severe on both sides. The Yankees did not occupy the line 
 Barringer had been relieved of, and were defeated in their attempt 
 to gain a lodgment on General Lee s right. There were some 
 amusing incidents among the tragic events of that bloody day. 
 Among others is the following story : 
 
 Captain George Tupper, of Company D, Fifth South Carolina 
 Cavalry, was lying with his men behind a pile of fence rails, logs, 
 
286 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 etc., after dark, driving everything in his front and resisting with 
 imperturbable gallantry the furious assaults of the enemy. One 
 of his men said, "Captain, my gun is foul and wilHiot fire." Tup- 
 per replied, "Never mind, sir, the man next to you will be killed 
 directly and you can get his gun." The result was the man with 
 the "foul gun" was reconciled and held his place in the line, 
 patiently awaiting the killing of his comrade. 
 
 This Gravelly Run fight was only one of the great number of 
 fierce combats which occurred between the cavalry of the two 
 armies during the campaign of 1864 scarcely mentioned in the 
 general history of the war. They were decisive in their respective 
 spheres in aiding to keep up and maintain General Lee s matchless 
 system of defense of the lines in front of Petersburg, and as a rule 
 success was on the side of the Confederate cavalry, as in the main 
 lines it was on this side of Lee s incomparable infantry. 
 
 Shands, who behaved so gallantly in this fight, was promoted 
 to lieutenant of his company. 
 
 Governor Garvin Dugas Shands was born in Spartanburg Dis 
 trict, South Carolina, 5th December, 1844; joined the Methodist 
 church September, 1859; educated at Wofford College, South 
 Carolina ; took law course at University of Kentucky, graduating 
 January, 1870 ; twenty years of age at close of war ; removed from 
 South Carolina to Mississippi in 1866 ; elected member of Missis 
 sippi legislature 1875; reflected in 1877, serving four years as 
 member; elected lieutenant-governor of Mississippi in 1881 for a 
 term of four years ; reflected 1885 for a like term ; lay member of 
 North Mississippi Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church, South ; member of general conference at Nashville, 1882, 
 and member of centenary conference at Baltimore in 1884; also 
 member of general conference at Richmond in 1886 of said church. 
 He is one of the ablest presiding officers in the United States. At 
 the Methodist Conference held in Richmond, Va., in 1886 he dis 
 tinguished himself as a debater. 
 
 It was at Gravelly Run that the gallant Major Morgan of the 
 Fifth Cavalry lost his leg. It is seldom that any regiment had 
 such brave officers as this regiment. John Dunovant was the first 
 colonel, and after his promotion T. P. Jeffords was made colonel, 
 and when he was killed at Burgesse s Mill, 27th October, 1864, the 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 287 
 
 handsome and brave Zimmerman Davis was promoted colonel and 
 was the last commander of this glorious old regiment. 
 
 But why should we speak of the gallantry of any of Butler s 
 Cavalry when nearly all of them deserved promotion? Can we 
 ever forget the fighting qualities of Lieutenant-Colonel Stokes, 
 of the Fourth; and the gallant Major Ferguson of the Sixth; 
 the gallantry of Major Emanuel of the Fourth, and its handsome 
 and distinguished colonel, B. H. Rutledge; the discipline of 
 Lieutenant-Colonel L. P. Miller, and the mild and brave Colonel 
 Hugh K. Aiken of the Sixth? 
 
 Can the survivors of Butler s Cavalry forget the gallant deeds 
 of our officers, a few of whom are Captain Humphrey, Captain 
 Goodwyn, Lieutenant John Bauskett, Jack Bunch, Cobb, Minis 
 Sullivan, John D. Brown, and M. L.Donaldson; and of the 
 privates Charles Montague, E. J. Dennis, Glenn Davis, Wash 
 Allen, E. L. Wells, Wade Manning, and others too numerous to 
 mention ? 
 
 All of Butler s scouts deserved promotion, but they could not be 
 spared from that very dangerous and peculiar duty which 
 required nerve and intelligence such as but few men possessed. 
 
 When General P. M. B. Young was shot through the shoulder at 
 Ashland on the 29th May, 1864, Wade Manning caught him and 
 kept him seated in the saddle. Wade was recommended for pro 
 motion, but from some cause never got his commission. 
 
 The able and efficient sheriff of Newberry is one of the best 
 officials in the United States, and he was as good a soldier as there 
 was in Butler s Cavalry. He was born on the 13th February, 
 1846, on Enoree River, in Union County, South Carolina, and 
 joined Company K, Fifth South Carolina Cavalry in 1862. When 
 he left his parental roof for the army to don the gray, I don t 
 suppose that he had ever been ten miles aw^ay from home before 
 in his life. The very night that he reached the army on the 
 coast of South Carolina he was sent out on picket, and his post 
 happened to be in some high weeds where he was hard to find in 
 the dark. When the corporal of the guard came to relieve him, 
 failing to see him, he called out, "Sentinel, Sentinel, Oh, Sentinel." 
 This young, green soldier, being tired of the misnomer, cried out 
 in a loud tone to the corporal, "I let you know, sir, that my name 
 
288 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 is not Sentinel, but Munce Buford of Enoree River, sir." Munce 
 never got sick nor missed a battle that his regiment was in. 
 
 On the . . J April, 1865, when General Joseph E. Johnston met 
 General Sherman at the Bennett House, four miles west of Dur 
 ham, N. C., to consult about the surrender of his army, General 
 Hampton tendered him an escort of cavalry, the Fifth South 
 Carolina Cavalry, under Colonel Zimmerman Davis. General 
 Hampton, anticipating the very memorable meeting between the 
 "house burner" (General Sherman) and himself, rode with mem 
 bers of his staff, Major Lowndes among the number. His orderly, 
 Wade H. Manning, carried the "flag of truce"; Major Lowndes 
 and Munce Buford rode with him. The "Bennett House" is still 
 standing and is an ordinary little frame building. 
 
 On the morning of the 10th of March, 1865, when Butler and 
 his cavalry rode into Kilpatrick s camp his (Kilpatrick s) 
 splendid spotted saddle horse was captured and Kilpatrick 
 escaped in his night clothes. A short time thereafter a flag of 
 truce was sent to General Hampton begging him please to let 
 Kilpatrick have his favorite steed back, and, of course, General 
 Hampton granted the request. 
 
 On that morning of the ., d of April, 1865, General Hampton s 
 heart was very full, tears rose unbidden to the bronze cheeks of 
 the Confederate chief, and the same good right hand that wielded 
 the sabre in the grand old Confederate cause was raised to brush 
 away the tears that trickled down his cheek when in his anguish 
 he contemplated the terrible duty assigned to him as an actor in 
 that awful war which had cost the lives of so many gallant men. 
 It was there that General Joseph E. Johnston and Wade Hampton 
 met; it was there they parted only to meet in sadness the men 
 who had served them both so well until the curtain fell and they, 
 with Lee, felt the absolute desolation of life. 
 
 Riding to the "Bennett House" Kilpatrick, mounted upon his 
 spotted horse (captured as stated above by the superb cavalry 
 leader, M. C. Butler, and returned to him by General Hampton at 
 his request) came "alongside," as the sailors say, of Hampton, 
 who was mounted on his favorite bay (Butler), and bantered the 
 General for a leap. The General, though doubtless in no humor 
 for sport of that nature, yet unwilling to decline "a dare," in old 
 schoolboy parlance, made a courteous motion in a graceful manner 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 289 
 
 to Kilpatrick, and Kilpatrick, touching his horse with a spur, 
 rose to take the fence, but coming down came belly to rail and 
 struggled over it. Then, with an ingathering of the rein, feeling 
 the mouth of his steed with a woman s hand and "a smile on the 
 face" his horse Butler rose and as gently as a bird on wing landed 
 on the other side with Hampton firmly seated. 
 
 When General Johnston arrived at the "Bennett House" the 
 Yankees were very courteous and offered to hold the horses of the 
 generals and others. Munce Buford said no d d Yankee could 
 hold his horse. On going back to our lines, Major Lowndes asked 
 Buford why he did not let the Yank hold his horse, and he replied 
 that he would not trust his horse with a Yankee, because they 
 would all steal horses. One of the Yanks offered Wade Manning 
 some coffee, but Wade made him taste it first. 
 
 General Sherman s terms of surrender were so easy that the 
 authorities in Washington would not agree to the contract as 
 fixed by these two generals who had planned and fought many 
 bloody battles against each other. They met again the next day, 
 and again on the ^>th ; also on the : Gth April, 1865, when the final 
 surrender was made by General Johnston, who was one of the 
 finest organizers of armies that the world has ever produced. His 
 retreats were so masterly that frequently they hurt his antagonist 
 more than if he had defeated him in battle. 
 
 For thirty-seven years after the surrender Munce Buford never 
 met Major Lowndes until Sunday, the 13th of April, 1902, at 
 General Hampton s funeral in Columbia, S. C. 
 
 GENERAL HAMPTON. 
 
 Moan, river moan, 
 On to the far-off restless sea, 
 For the warrior sleeps and we, 
 
 Are sad and lone. 
 
 Soldiers! today, 
 
 "Rest arms" and guard your gallant chief; 
 And wear your sombre garb of grief, 
 
 Confederate gray. 
 
 Oh! little band, 
 
 Who followed him with hearts so brave, 
 Through fields of blood your homes to save, 
 
 Our sunny land. 
 
 19 B. C. 
 
290 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Sigh night winds low; 
 Wail in thy saddest minor chord, 
 For who can tell in line or word, * 
 
 The South-land s woe. 
 
 Wave, banners wave, 
 Droop over the % warrior s breast, 
 Choir of angels; sing to rest, 
 
 Our hero brave. 
 12 April, 1002, ELLIE BROOKS JONES. 
 
BOTLER AND HlS CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 291 
 
 LETTERS FROM THE FRONT 
 
 Camp Near Malone s Crossing, 
 
 July 22nd, 1864. 
 
 My Dear Sister: I returned to camp from the Huguenot 
 Springs Hospital five days ago, and, am happy to say, I am now 
 almost well again. I have suffered much since I came to Virginia 
 with toothache, chills and fever, and, worse than all, from a severe 
 sprain in the small of my back, which I received in the Sunday s 
 fight at Trevillian by running up a steep railroad bank. I would 
 not tell you all before, but this and the severe exhaustion was the 
 cause of my f aintings. The Yankees were pouring a most terrific 
 fire of grape, canister, and small arms right down the railroad, 
 and, you may readily imagine, it was necessary to get across that 
 place as soon as possible. It was here that a ball passed through 
 my coat over the right hip, which I wrote to you all about some 
 time ago. 
 
 I heard from Watt Taylor, who came from General Hampton s 
 headquarters, that Jack Preston received a dispatch this morning 
 informing him that Willie was killed yesterday near Atlanta, Ga. 
 I am so sorry to hear of it, not only on account of Willie himself, 
 but on account of the family. Mary Canty was to have been 
 married about this time, and I am afraid it will be postponed 
 again, as it has been several times before. 
 
 I suppose "Buck" is quite delighted that her intended should be 
 in command of the Army of the West. 
 
 Every one out here, although entertaining a very high opinion 
 of General Hood, blame the President very much for relieving 
 General Johnson, as he is no doubt one of our best generals, and, 
 perhaps, with the exception of General Lee, the very best. 
 
 I know from pretty good authority that General Johnston had 
 not in his army more than 50,000 (fifty thousand) muskets when 
 Sherman s force numbered 120,000 (one hundred and twenty 
 thousand). I am afraid the result will be that General Hood, 
 urged on by ambition and pressure from the war department, will 
 risk a battle and have his army defeated, which would be a serious 
 thing for Georgia and the upper portion of South Carolina. It is 
 
292 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 rumored and believed that General Johnston was relieved from 
 command because he refused to risk a general engagement, and, 
 I am told, many of the generals side with Genefal Johnston. 
 
 We have been very fortunate everywhere in the Confederacy 
 since the spring campaign commenced, except in the West, and I 
 must say I am now a little fearful of the results. However, I 
 hope when General Kirby Smith joins General Hood we may be 
 more successful. 
 
 The Yankee cavalry are pretty well used up out here, and until 
 they recruit and get new horses I think we will have an easy time ; 
 that is, in comparison to what we have had. General Sheridan is 
 now at City Point, and has most of his cavalry there with him. 
 General Wilson is opposite us with a small force. Our horses are 
 improving very fast, and the men, who were almost worn out, 
 have also been greatly benefited by the rest. I will send home in 
 a few days about twelve men after horses to replace those lost in 
 action. The next fight I get in I intend to capture a mule and 
 make a pack out of him, which will be a great convenience, for 
 our wagons are very seldom, or never, with us, and where there are 
 only two allowed to a regiment we can have nothing hauled. I 
 have not had as much as a towel in the wagon since I have been 
 in Virginia. 
 
 You must write to Ben ; he is almost crazy to hear from some 
 one at home. He has not received one line from grandfather, 
 Aunt Lizzie, or Floride since he came to Virginia, and he really 
 does deserve credit for the manner in which he has acted since he 
 has been out here. He is now with General Butler, doing some 
 writing for him and acting as courier. 
 
 I stayed all night at Dr. Boisseau s in coming across the country 
 from the hospital to camp, who was a classmate, and is a great 
 friend of Dr. Browder, our old family physician in Alabama, and 
 found that Dr. Browder s family lived on the adjoining place. 
 The doctor has just returned to Alabama, having been out here on 
 a visit. 
 
 Write to me often. Love to all. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 (Sd) JOHN C. CALHOUN. 
 To Miss M. M. Calhoun. 
 
 Tell father I will send him a "17" seven teen-shooter captured 
 from the Yankees, by the first opportunity. J. C. C. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 293 
 
 Camp Near Malone s Crossing, 
 
 July, 30th, 1864. 
 
 My Dear Sister: I received your letter yesterday, which was 
 not dated. I noticed, however, that it was mailed on the 21st. 
 
 As I know how eager you all must be for news concerning the 
 regiment, I will proceed at once to give you an account of its 
 movements for the last two days. 
 
 Evening before last General Butler sent around an order stating 
 that the Fourth and Fifth regiments would hold themselves in 
 readiness to march yesterday morning at one o clock, which order 
 was obeyed, and the two regiments started off, taking with them 
 all the wagons of the brigade. Every one all this time was quite 
 curious to know where they were to go, and what was going to 
 transpire. In a short time it was found out that Major Melton, 
 brigade quartermaster, had bought from a gentleman in the 
 enemy s lines 45,000 pounds of oats, and fodder, and fifty beef 
 cattle, which it was intended the command should bring off. The 
 whole affair proved an entire success, as the command, after going 
 four miles into the enemy s lines, brought off everything without 
 firing a gun. 
 
 When on the return to camp, and when every one thought all 
 was quiet, a courier came dashing up with orders for the Fourth 
 and Fifth to go to the relief of the Sixth regiment, which was on 
 picket at a place called Lee s Mills, as the enemy had in force 
 attacked; the courier also reported that two squadrons of the 
 Sixth had been captured. The Fourth and Fifth, of course, 
 started at full speed for Lee s Mills, the Fourth in front, and my 
 squadron in front of the regiment. After going a short distance, 
 much to the surprise of all, the advanced guard commenced a 
 tremendous firing of small arms, and the order was at once given 
 to dismount to fight. In a few minutes the firing became general, 
 and in a short time the Yankees were in full retreat. It seems 
 that this force of the enemy was a heavy reconnoitering party, 
 which accounts for no one knowing that they were there. My 
 squadron was the only one that suffered any loss. I had in my 
 company one man (W. H. McDonald) severely wounded in the 
 leg, and one horse killed; in my junior company Lieutenant 
 Weatherby seriously wounded, one man killed, and two wounded. 
 Our two regiments, after driving the enemy some distance, heard 
 
294 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 that the Yankees had also fallen back from Lee s Mills, conse 
 quently they returned to camp. 
 
 The Sixth regiment was driven back some ^distance and lost 
 heavily in officers and men. The report of the two squadrons 
 being captured has not yet been denied, but I think it must be a 
 mistake. Hampton s Division is the only cavalry on this side of 
 the James Kiver, all the rest crossed to the north side four days 
 ago. 
 
 The cannonading at Petersburg yesterday morning was the 
 most severe I ever heard ; it far exceeded anything I ever heard at 
 Charleston. The enemy undermined Captain Pegram s battery, 
 the works where two of our South Carolina companies were 
 stationed which two I do not know and blew up the whole 
 concern, amounting to about two hundred feet, of ground. Poor 
 General Stephen Elliott is mortally wounded, and Colonel Flem 
 ing, of the Twenty-second regiment, is killed. We drove the 
 enemy back some distance, and captured a number of prisoners. 
 
 Wilson has recovered and returned to camp from the Huguenot 
 hospital, where I left him. He is a little thin, but is quite well. 
 
 Tell father I sent a list of the casualties of my company to the 
 Keowee Courier, and as I did not know how much money to send. 
 I wrote to the editor to send the bill to him, and will be much 
 obliged if he will settle it for me. 
 
 Tell mother please to make me two more shirts out of some 
 thin and strong cloth, as the two she made out of the yellow cloth 
 are almost gone. She will have a good opportunity of sending 
 them to me by my men, who are going home after horses. "Don 
 and Sheriff" are not looking so well for the last three or four 
 days, as they have been getting but little to eat. 
 
 Love to all. 
 
 Your affectionate brother, 
 
 (Sd.) JOHN C. CALHOUN. 
 To Miss M. M. Calhoun. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 295 
 
 EXTRACTS TAKEN FROM "THE CONFEDERATE 
 SOLDIER" IN THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-1865 
 
 [Greater New York Edition.] 
 
 Among the most highly distinguished of the Colonial American 
 surnames is that of Calhoun. Not only have members of this 
 family attained the highest rank in social and political life, but 
 they have conspicuously distinguished themselves in the various 
 wars in which the soil now comprising the United States has been 
 involved. The name, which was formerly Colquhoun, is derived 
 from the nobility of Great Britain and is traced back to about 
 the time of Gregory the Great. 
 
 The first of the name in America was James Calhoun, of Don 
 egal, son of Patrick Calhoun of Scotland, who came to the 
 American colonies in 1733. James at this time had a son Patrick 
 who was six years old, and who, in the course of events, became 
 the great-grandfather of the present John C. Calhoun. The 
 family first settled in Pennsylvania, and later in Virginia, but 
 after Braddock s defeat removed to Abbeville County, South 
 Carolina. This occurred in 1756, and the place became known as 
 "Calhoun s Settlement." A little later war with the Cherokees 
 resulted in the butchery of several members of the family, among 
 whom were James, brother of Patrick, several girls and the aged 
 mother. Patrick distinguished himself in this war against the 
 Indians, securing peace through his efforts and winning, through 
 his activity and gallantry, the appointment to the command of a 
 body of rangers raised to protect the frontier. 
 
 In 1770 Patrick Calhoun married Martha Caldwell, daughter 
 of Rev. James Caldwell, who later became prominent in the Con 
 tinental Army. Three of the sons of this union were John C., 
 William F., and Thomas. During the Revolution Patrick Cal 
 houn commanded a regiment of South Carolina rangers, and his 
 wife had three brothers in the Colonial service, one of whom was 
 shot dead in his own doorway for his outspoken sentiments in 
 favor of the colonies, another died of over thirty sabre wounds 
 received in the Battle of Cowpens, and the third was captured in 
 a battle and confined for nine months in a dungeon at St. Augus- 
 
296 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 tine. The ancestor of these three patriots was John Caldwell, who 
 came to this country in 1727, and a relative was Admiral Sir Ben 
 jamin Caldwell, of the English navy. 
 
 John Caldwell Calhoun, the great American statesman, was the 
 youngest son of Colonel Patrick and Martha (Caldwell) Calhoun, 
 and his distinguished career is too well known to require mention 
 here. He married his cousin Floride, daughter of John Ewing 
 Calhoun, who was the first United States senator from the 
 up-country of South Carolina. Their son, Andrew Pickens Cal 
 houn, was born in 1812 in South Carolina, and married Margaret 
 Maria, daughter of Duff Green. He resided in Alabama on a 
 large plantation for many years, and died in South Carolina in 
 1865. He was incapacitated from service during the Civil War, 
 but greatly aided the South in many ways. He was a distin 
 guished and typical Southern gentleman, always declining 
 political position, devoting himself to agricultural pursuits, and 
 was for many years president of the South Carolina State Agri 
 cultural Society. The Duffs and Greens numbered among their 
 members some of the most distinguished soldiers and civilians 
 this country has produced, and were related by ties of blood or by 
 marriage to Chief Justice Marshall, George Washington and other 
 eminent Americans. 
 
 Colonel John Caldwell Calhoun, son of Andrew Pickens Cal 
 houn, was born in Alabama, July 9th, 1843, and was reared at Fort 
 Hill, the old family homestead in South Carolina. At the time of 
 the bombardment of Fort Sumter, he was a member of the sopho 
 more class at the South Carolina College. He witnessed that his 
 toric event, and it made a powerful impression on his mind, and 
 stimulated his patriotism and loyalty to the South into immediate 
 action. He became a leader in the organization of a volunteer 
 company of his fellow students, and a little later joined the 
 cavalry company of Captain Thomas Taylor in Hampton s 
 Legion, which was assigned for active duty with the Army of 
 Virginia, and served for about a year in the dangerous position 
 of color sergeant. He was then mustered out of service on account 
 of his youth, saying nothing of his intentions at the time and 
 returned to his home, Fort Hill, in Pickens County, South Caro 
 lina. A few days later, at a great war meeting at a muster ground 
 in the neighborhood, he suddenly took the stump in sheer despera- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 297 
 
 tion in opposition to the regularly announced speakers of the occa 
 sion, and with telling illustration of his experiences in Virginia, 
 of the need of troops to resist the encroachments of the North, and 
 with an eloquent and brilliant appeal to the patriotism of his 
 hearers, transformed the meeting from a humdrum affair into one 
 of loyalty, enthusiasm and enlistment, securing a large number of 
 volunteers. His speech was made from the top of a rail fence, 
 and around him the crowd assembled with shouts of approval, 
 leaving the other speakers well-nigh deserted. At the conclusion 
 of his impassioned speech, he cried out, "All who will go back 
 with me to Virginia fall in," and a complete company was soon 
 enrolled. Later it was fully equipped for the cavalry service and 
 consisted of one hundred and sixty men. Within a month from 
 the time he was mustered out of service in Virginia he was back 
 in service, at the head of a superb cavalry company, and at this 
 time was, no doubt, the youngest captain in the service on either 
 side. His company was merged into "The Adams Battalion," 
 commanded by Major James P. Adams, and was ordered to Poco- 
 taligo on the coast of South Carolina, w^here the famous battle of 
 Pocotaligo was fought. He was placed in command of the out 
 posts between the Cumbee and Savannah rivers, and conducted 
 the flags of truce between the departments of General G. T. Beau- 
 regard on the Confederate and General Saxton on the Federal 
 sides. After about a year the Adams Battalion was merged into 
 the Fourth Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Colonel B. H. 
 Rutledge, which, with the Fourth Regiment, was ordered on to 
 Virginia to relieve the First and Second Regiments and was 
 placed in the brigade of General M. C. Butler, Hampton Division. 
 After the promotion of General M. C. Butler to the position of 
 major-general, General Dunovant, of South Carolina, was placed 
 in command of this brigade. Colonel Calhoun gallantly per 
 formed every duty incumbent upon him, and made his mark as an 
 able, skillful and gallant commander. At the battle of Trevillian 
 Station, one of the greatest cavalry fights of the war, he so dis 
 tinguished himself by a brilliant charge on the Federal brigade 
 under General Custer, that a special account was given of it on 
 August 2, 1864, in the Daily Southern Guardian, published at 
 Columbia, S. C., the leading newspaper in the State; and long 
 after the war his gallantry was specially mentioned by General 
 
298 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 M. C. Butler in an article contributed to the Century Magazine. 
 He participated in several other skirmishes, battles, campaigns 
 and marches, and was finally mustered out afr the close of the 
 war. When he entered the service he was under eighteen years 
 of age, and was but eighteen when he took the field with a large 
 company of older men ; but he had the personality, the ability and 
 prestige of a great family renown to insure his brilliant success 
 at the front. 
 
 Immediately after the war, and on his return home, he made 
 a speech, taking the position that the questions that had brought 
 on the war had been settled by the arbitrament of the sword, and 
 advised every one to go to work quietly and rebuild his own for 
 tune and restore the country to prosperity. 
 
 Since the war he has been active in cotton planting, railroads 
 and other business, and has contributed largely towards the great 
 development of the South. 
 
 On December 8th, 1870, he married Linnie Adams, a grand- 
 niece of Richard M. Johnson, vice-president, and they have four 
 children: James Edward, born May 1st, 1878; David Adams, 
 born January 14th, 1881; Julia Johnson, born January 14th, 
 1884; John C., Jr., born April 22nd, 1887. 
 
 James Edward Calhoun, the eldest son, was commissioned by 
 President McKinley on the 19th of May, 1898, a commissary of 
 subsistence of volunteers with the rank of captain. He was 
 immediately assigned by special order of the secretary of war to 
 the staff of Major-General M. C. Butler as his aide-de-camp, 
 thus serving in the Spanish war with the same general with whom 
 his father had served in the Confederate war thirty-five years 
 before. He won for himself a reputation for great efficiency 
 and energy, was stationed at Camp Alger, near Washington, 
 Camp Meade in Pennsylvania, and when General Butler was sent 
 to Cuba as one of the Evacuation Commission, Captain Calhoun 
 went with him, and was thrown in close contact with General 
 Blanco and other distinguished officers. He hauled down the 
 Spanish flag at Trinidad in Cuba and hoisted the American. 
 
 Thus it will be seen the Calhouns have taken a prominent part 
 in every war, including the Revolution, down to the present time. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 299 
 
 MICHAEL CALVIN DICKSON 
 
 New York, December 8th, 1908. 
 Colonel U. R. Brooks, Columbia, S. C. 
 
 My Dear Colonel Brooks : In justice to the memory of a gallant 
 officer and soldier, I am sure you will agree that special mention 
 should be made in your book "Butler and His Cavalry, 7 of one 
 who served in General Butler s command with honor to himself 
 and his country. 
 
 Michael Calvin Dickson was born at Pendleton, S. C., on 
 January 27th, 1841 ; his father was Thomas Dickson, of Abbeville 
 County, and his mother a daughter of General Scott of Revolu 
 tionary fame. He was prepared for and ready to enter Davidson 
 College when the war came on. 
 
 Inspired by patriotic feelings and a desire to serve his country, 
 he abandoned the idea of going to college, joined the Fourth 
 South Carolina Regiment and served with it for the first twelve 
 months of the war. He then joined my company, "B," Second 
 Battalion Cavalry, South Carolina Volunteers, commanded by 
 Major James P. Adams, stationed at Pocotaligo. The Second 
 Battalion of Cavalry was afterwards merged into the Fourth 
 Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, Colonel B. H. Rutledge com 
 manding, in which my command became Company C. 
 
 Mr. Dickson had not been with us but a short time before he won 
 my own -confidence, as his captain, as well as that of the other 
 officers and members of the company, by his military bearing, 
 strict attention to duties, and prompt execution of all orders, so 
 much so, that when a vacancy occurred by the resignation of 
 Lieutenant Aaron Boggs he was unanimously made junior second 
 lieutenant of the company, which met with my unqualified 
 approval. 
 
 The Fourth and Fifth Regiments, South Carolina Cavalry, 
 remained on duty on the coast of South Carolina until April, 
 1864, when they were ordered to Virginia to relieve the First and 
 Second Regiments, and, after marching all the way, arrived at 
 Amelia Court House on May 22nd, 1864. On May 28th, the 
 
300 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 entire command was engaged in the fight at Hawes Shop, and 
 my company sustained serious loss. 
 
 First Lieutenant Thomas D. Bellotte was -killed; Privates 
 J. D. Bellote, A. Day and N. Day were killed ; Second Lieutenant 
 Wm. F. M. Fant, Corporal Eli Moore, Privates S. A. Bellotte, 
 A. Collins, John F. Day, C. M. Fant, John Henderson, W. C. 
 Kirksey, William Lee, W. H. McDonald were wounded, and 
 Private C. Smith was captured. 
 
 This was our first serious fight after arriving in Virginia, and 
 in it Lieutenant Dickson won the admiration and confidence of 
 officers and men by his marked coolness and bravery. In the 
 fights at Burgesse s Mill, Trevillians, Malone s Farm, Bottom s 
 Bridge, Reams Station, Petersburg and numerous other engage 
 ments, Lieutenant Dickson was always at the front, cool and 
 collected, which inspired all those who were with him or under 
 his command with confidence as a leader. Lieutenant Bellotte 
 having been killed and Lieutenant Fant wounded at Hawes 
 Shop, the command of my company during my absence from sick 
 ness devolved upon Lieutenant Dickson. He was always on hand 
 and did not miss a single battle or fight in which the company 
 was engaged, until after the battle of Fayetteville, N. C., just 
 about the close of the war, where he received seven sabre cuts, 
 and being wounded in the side and hip, was dragged from his 
 horse and left unconscious on the field. 
 
 After the war he returned to Pendleton and engaged in mer 
 chandising for a number of years, and then turned to farming 
 and owned several fine plantations. 
 
 He married Miss Addie A. Gilkerson, of Laurens County, and 
 had four children one daughter, Mrs. A. Rufus Burress, of 
 Anderson, and three sons, T. Paul Dickson, of the Anderson bar, 
 M. C. Dickson, of Charlotte, N. C., and John Calhoun Dickson, of 
 Pendleton. 
 
 He was one of the oldest members of the Pendleton A. F. M. 
 Lodge and Presbyterian church. He was charitable, a good 
 citizen, and respected as a high-toned, honorable gentleman, 
 having many warm friends. After a brief illness he died at his 
 home in Pendleton on July 19th, 1906, and was buried with 
 Masonic honors in the Pendleton cemetery. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 JOHN C. CALHOUN. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 301 
 
 BATTLE OF LEE S MILL, VA., JULY 30, 1864 
 BY KEV. W. H. BOWLING. 
 
 After the battle of Trevillian, June llth and 12th, 1864, nearly 
 sixteen hundred of Butler s Brigade were dismounted in conse 
 quence of dead and disabled horses. Some of these were tem 
 porarily organized into a dismounted battalion. Lieutenant 
 Robert Aldrich, nuw a circuit judge, was placed in command of 
 same, and sergeants acted as captains. My company was stationed 
 at Blanchard Breast Works, near Lee s Mill, about seven miles 
 southeast from Petersburg. 
 
 July 30th, 1864, was an eventful day; Grant s Great Crater 
 explosion aroused the whole army just before the dawn. Gen 
 eral M. C. Butler had planned for a foraging expedition on the 
 left of and around Grant s line. He sent seven companies of the 
 Sixth Regiment and my dismounted company to guard the 
 crossing at Lee s Mill, while he, with the Fourth and Fifth regi 
 ments, protected his wagon train several miles away. Simul 
 taneously General Gregg had planned to make a raid to Weldon, 
 N. C., and extend the same for purposes of harassment in the 
 rear of Lee s army, and was to cross the swamp at Lee s Mill, 
 which was unguarded the day before, but by ten o clock Colonel 
 Miller s eight companies were on the ground. The mill dam had 
 been cut and fish in great abundance were fluttering in the pond. 
 While bivouacking we broiled some of these on ramrods in pine 
 top fires; feasted without bread or salt, filled our canteens and 
 were ready for the fray. About 12 :30 o clock the firing of pickets 
 told us "The Yankees are coming." Quickly we were in line 
 about four hundred men my company forming, by Miller s 
 order, on the extreme right on the mill race and run of the swamp. 
 Gregg s whole division was in front of us, but realizing the 
 importance and responsibility of the position, we were determined 
 to hold the place at all hazards, and we resisted the severe attack 
 as Spartans at Thermopylae pass. The battle raged nearly two 
 hours, when a lull occurred. We knew that strategy was taking 
 place, and I sent the brave Pat Jennings and another vidette to 
 scout to our right, but these did not return. The enemy had com- 
 
302 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 pletely flanked us and were firing upon us from the front, right 
 and rear. We fell back to the edge of the old field, firing rapidly 
 on all sides. The situation seemed desperate, tout we stood like 
 the "Stonewall brigade." The blue columns were moving to close 
 around us, our men were falling thick and fast by the enemy s 
 bullets, but we never thought of surrendering. Miller ordered 
 "retreat," a desperate effort was made to obey through the only 
 open gap, which escape would have been impossible, but just 
 then a cyclone of musketry struck the flanking enemy and 
 stopped their "wild career." General Butler had arrived with his 
 brigade, first made a mounted charge, then dismounted, saved the 
 day, held the ground, and Miller s party got out all right. 
 
 Next morning Gregg was gone, leaving only a "wreck behind" 
 a similar experience to that which Hampton had given him at 
 Trevillian a few weeks before. 
 
 A Northern history, referring to this battle, says: "General 
 Gregg had started to Weldon, N. C., but finding Butler s cavalry 
 at Lee s Mill, he drove them off, watered his horses and decided to 
 go back." 
 
 The facts are that he may have watered his horses, but we are 
 sure Butler made him go back. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 303 
 
 BATTLE OF REAMS STATION 
 
 In August, 1864, Butler s Cavalry was in camp on the Squirrel 
 Level Road twelve or fourteen miles south of Petersburg, Va. 
 While we couriers were not taken into the confidence of the com 
 manding officers, we could generally know from the dispatches 
 sent and received at a gallop when anything stirring was ahead. 
 
 Information had been brought in from the outposts and scouts 
 during the day of the 24th of August that the Yankee General 
 Hancock was moving against Reams Station, on the Petersburg 
 and Weldon railroad, eight miles from Petersburg, with his entire 
 command, the Second corps of the Army of the Potomac. On 
 the evening of the 24th of August Generals A. P. Hill, Hampton 
 and Butler had a sort of council of war about sunset below and 
 to the right of Reams Station. Bear in mind that Reams Station 
 was on the Petersburg and Weldon railroad, one of the two points 
 General Lee had to supply his army, and the importance of 
 protecting it will be realized. Well, the result of the conference 
 between the three general officers above mentioned was that A. P. 
 Hill s corps of infantry with the cavalry under Hampton were to 
 be in front of Reams Station at daylight next morning, the 25th. 
 These secrets generally leaked out and our camp that night was 
 alive with preparation for something lively in the near future. 
 Rations and ammunition were prepared and issued and "boots and 
 saddle" was sounded about midnight, we were all up and pre 
 pared for action. After mounting and breaking into column, 
 we moved rapidly to Reams Station, reaching there soon after 
 daylight. Dunovant s brigade was sent to the right to provide 
 against attack from that direction. We were placed in positions 
 ready to attack. Hill s corps did not get up until about seven 
 a. m., and there we were, the cavalry with three batteries of horse 
 artillery, waiting for the infantry. 
 
 I can never forget that Generals Hampton, Butler and Rosser 
 were sitting in the yard of a farmhouse near the railroad about 
 two miles south of Reams Station waiting for a signal to attack. 
 About 8 a. m. a courier brought word from General A. P. Hill 
 that the signal for attack would be two shots from Pelham s 
 
304 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 battery. We were all lolling about, officers, staff and couriers, 
 in the farmhouse yard, and when the signal shots were fired it was 
 a matter of a few minutes when we were up and at them. It was 
 not long before Hill and Hancock had each other by the ears, 
 each worthy of the other s steel. The cavalry moved up, dis 
 mounted and took a lively part on Hill s right. When the combat 
 waxed fierce and fast and it was developed that Hill could hold 
 his own in front, Butler with his dismounted cavalry was ordered 
 across the railroad so as to strike, if possible Hancock s left and 
 rear. We moved rkpidly through a thick piece of woods, which 
 protected the movement from Hancock s people, and suddenly 
 debouched in an open field. The Yankees had not completed 
 some breastworks they were making of pine logs, sorghum cane 
 and dirt, so that when Butler appeared unheralded in the open 
 field about two hundred yards in their left rear and discharged a 
 volley followed by a rush for their friends, the Yankees, they 
 fired a fierce volley and broke away from their incomplete works 
 and stood not upon the order of their going. The infantry in the 
 meantime at and around the railroad station were trying conclu 
 sions fiercely and stubbornly. This rear and left stroke of But 
 ler s cavalry late in the afternoon was the final blow which caused 
 Hancock to beat a hasty retreat and return to Grant s main lines. 
 Detaching Butler for the movement across the railroad, thereby 
 making a gap in our line in front of Hancock, was a bold and 
 somewhat hazardous thing to do, but the presumption is Hill 
 and Hampton decided that Butler with his dismounted cavalry 
 was the man to succeed in so daring an undertaking. Butler was 
 to Hampton what Stonewall Jackson was to General Lee. At 
 any rate, it turned out a success and compelled Hancock to with 
 draw as rapidly as possible and leave the field in our possession. 
 After a struggle lasting twelve hours the day was too far spent 
 to justify pursuit, but the next day we explored the battlefield 
 and some distance on the line of Hancock s retreat the thrown 
 away guns, haversacks, canteens, hats and other paraphernalia 
 of war abandoned on the retreat, which we gathered up next day, 
 were helpful to our ordnance and quartermaster supplies. It 
 should be stated that when Butler made a gap in our lines by his 
 flank movement to the right his place was occupied by the three 
 batteries of horse artillery, Hart s, McGregor s (Pelham s old bat- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 305 
 
 tery) and Thompson s. I don t suppose there were ever another 
 such a set of daredevils in any army as the officers and men of 
 these batteries. They always accompanied the cavalry, whatever 
 the distance or rapidity of the march, and were on hand wherever 
 and whenever there was fighting to be done. That day General 
 Butler had some difficulty in restraining McGregor, who, with his 
 guns, was stationed on Butler s line. McGregor asked permission 
 to gallop up right in front of the Yankee line of battle, unlimber 
 and commence firing. Of course this could not be permitted. If 
 I am not mistaken, and I am sure I am not, McGowan s brigade, 
 led by that splendid soldier and gentleman General Samuel 
 McGowan, was a part of Hill s corps, and bore a conspicuous part 
 in the battle. General McGowan was himself wounded a habit 
 he had, as he did not seem to have learned the art of dodging the 
 Yankee bullets. Taking it all and all this was one of the most 
 important engagements of that eventful year 1864. 
 
 If Hancock had affected a lodgment and fortified at Reams 
 Station, thereby blocking communication by the Petersburg and 
 Weldon railroad, the chances are that General Lee would have 
 been compelled to extend his already thin attenuated lines and 
 possibly abandon his lines in front of Petersburg. 
 
 The reader can, therefore, readily understand the importance 
 of the victory over Hancock and of holding the line of railroad 
 at Reams Station. Malone s Crossing a few miles below, where 
 Butler s cavalry encamped for some time during the campaign of 
 1864, in fact almost the entire line of railroad from Petersburg 
 to within twenty miles of Weldon, N. C., were scenes of hotly 
 contested conflicts. 
 
 Extract from General Hampton s War Record, Report of the 
 Reams Station fight: 
 
 "I cannot close my report without expressing my high appre 
 ciation of the conduct of my command. Officers and men alike 
 discharged their duties to my entire satisfaction. General Butler 
 handled his division skilfully, and he was ably supported by Gen 
 eral Rosser and Colonel Wright." 
 
 The total capture in this Reams Station fight, of our combined 
 cavalry and infantry, amounted to 2,150 prisoners, seven stand of 
 colors, nine pieces of artillery and 3,150 small arms and stores. 
 As Lieu tenant- General A. P. Hill expressed it in writing of the 
 
 20 B. C. 
 
306 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 engagement, "The sabre and the bayonet have shaken hands on 
 the enemy s captured breastworks." The cavalry captured 781 
 prisoners besides 66 badly wounded, and burie*d 143 dead. Our 
 cavalry losses were only sixteen killed and seventy-eight wounded 
 and none captured by the Yanks. 
 
 In a letter" from General Lee to Governor Vance of North Caro 
 lina, he said, "The operations of the cavalry were not less dis 
 tinguished for boldness and efficiency than those of the infantry." 
 
 It was General Hancock who commanded the Yankees this day, 
 and the mortification felt at the result by that brave, proud 
 soldier was intense. It is reported by his friends that he said on 
 the field he would rather have died than witnessed his corps in 
 such a rout. 
 
 When McGowan s brigade captured some Yankee cannon they 
 did not know how to use the guns against the enemy. A captured 
 Yankee sergeant said, "If you boys will allow me, I can mow those 
 Yanks down while they are running up the hill." Our men told 
 him all right, and this unnatural soldier turned these captured 
 guns upon his friends, our enemies, and played havoc with them 
 and seemed to enjoy the sport very much. Lieutenant Henry 
 Heise helped to capture the guns and witnessed the Yankee ser 
 geant shoot down his comrades just for pure and simple cussed- 
 ness. Lieutenant Heise (now of Columbia, S. C.,) will make an 
 affidavit as to the truthfulness of this story if any one doubts it. 
 
 Let me state a small incident that occurred while we were 
 camped at Malone s Crossing. The straits to which we were 
 sometimes reduced in the matter of securing supplies. General 
 Butler had been notified that it was impossible to furnish his 
 command with soap. He thereupon sent round to the different 
 regiments and inquired if there were any men who understood the 
 manufacture of soap. To the surprise of all of us, it was ascer 
 tained that there were twenty-five or thirty men in the cavalry 
 who were expert soap makers. General Butler detailed a member 
 of his staff, Major Emmet Seibels, and ordered the soap makers to 
 report to him. Major Seibels, who, of course, knew nothing 
 about making soap himself, put the men to work with as much 
 zeal and earnestness as if leading a forlorn hope in battle (and he 
 could do that as gallantly as any soldier) and in a short time 
 was turning out 150 pounds of soap a day. This was the process : 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 307 
 
 We were encamped in a grove of large oak and hickory trees. 
 Major Seibels cut down the trees and used the bark for making 
 lye. He would then have the bacon washed and used the grease 
 with the lye for making the soap. In addition to the bacon grease 
 he would send out and gather up the carcasses of dead mules and 
 horses not too much decayed on the battlefield and utilize it with 
 the bacon grease. It was a novel proceeding, but "necessity 
 knows no law," as Judge Mackey said about the negro Judge 
 Wright. He said Wright was like necessity, because he knew 
 no law. 
 
 We soon had an ample supply of excellent soap, with some to 
 spare to our neighbors the infantry. 
 
 It has been forty-four years since all this happened. 
 
 "The flood of time is setting 
 And we stand upon the brink." 
 
308 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 CAPTURE OF GENERAL GRANTS CATTLE 
 
 Near Coggins Point, on the James river, less than five miles 
 east of City Point and to West-Over, was a large herd of cattle 
 belonging to Grant s army. City Point is about fifty miles from 
 Petersburg, as the crow flies. General Hampton s trusted scout, 
 Shadbourne, gave him this information on the 5th September, 
 1864. General Hampton said to Shadbourne: "Tell me when 
 Grant will visit Washington or Sheridan in the valley." Within 
 a short time our scouts captured a courier with it dispatch that 
 Grant would, on the morning of the 14th, go to the valley to 
 consult with Sheridan. That very morning General Hampton 
 left for the vicinity of City Point. He had to make a circuitous 
 route of about 100 miles and reached there at 5 o clock on the 
 morning of the sixteenth, and within three hours had killed and 
 captured nearly all of the First District of Columbia regiment 
 of cavalry, and the cattle, numbering 2,468, and many horses cap 
 tured, three camps were burned and a considerable quantity of 
 valuable stores and blankets were carried off. Rosser made this 
 charge and capture while W. H. F. Lee and Bearing were busily 
 making surprises and capturing couriers, &c., in other directions. 
 While General Butler, with most of his division, was driving 
 in Hancock s pickets every morning below Burgess Mill, our 
 boys, who did the charging of the pickets, were glad to welcome 
 General Hampton back with the cattle, but was sorry he came so 
 soon, because they missed, their coffee and hot breakfast, which 
 had been prepared for them by the Yankee pickets. Hancock 
 and Gregg kept their men in line of battle for four days, looking 
 every moment for General Butler to attack them, while General 
 Hampton was in their rear. Too much cannot be said in behalf 
 of our scouts. Nearly every day while on duty a good scout 
 carried information in one hand and his life in the other. Here 
 is an illustration : During the cattle raid two of our scouts, whose 
 names will be given at another time, were near City Point. They 
 were dressed in blue overcoats and trousers. A poor woman in 
 this vicinity would frequently cook for them and also impart 
 valuable information. The two scouts walked quietly into the 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 309 
 
 house on this occasion, and much to their surprise there sat two 
 men clad in blue uniforms waiting for some food then being pre 
 pared. It was too late to withdraw, so our scouts spoke to the 
 strangers in a friendly way. Are they Yankees or Confederates ? 
 They were thus "thinking hard," and so were the other two men. 
 Our scouts knew full well if these fellows proved to be Yankees 
 they must kill them or be themselves killed. When the four sat 
 down together, two and two, on opposite sides of the table to eat, 
 the good woman walked behind the Yankees and gave a quick, 
 warning glance across the table at the scouts, and the flashes of 
 their pistols blackened the faces of the two Yankees as the 
 bullets crashed through their heads. They had to drag the bodies 
 out behind the garden and hide them from detection to keep the 
 good woman out of trouble. Whenever our scouts were caught 
 in blue clothes it simply meant death and no matter how clad 
 if buckshot were found on them it meant death without benefit 
 of clergy. One of Butler s scouts by the name of Waterbury 
 was one of the bravest men in the army. While on a scout in the 
 rear of Grant s army in December, 1864, he met about 250 Yan 
 kees in the road with the advance guard clad in gray for the pur 
 pose of deceiving and capturing our scouts. Both parties fired 
 upon each other at the same time. Waterbury and his four men 
 had to beat a hasty retreat. Waterbury s horse fell and he was 
 knocked senseless, and when he regained consciousness he saw that 
 he was surrounded by the Yankee cavalry, who conducted him 
 to the commanding officer, who also was painfully hurt in the 
 encounter, who said to his men, pointing to Bill Sanderson, the 
 chief of A. P. Hill s scouts, who had just been captured in a 
 similar way: "Take these d d rascals out and shoot them." 
 Waterbury said : "One word with you, Captain, before you have 
 that order carried into execution," and at the same time gave a 
 Masonic sign. The commander, who being a true Mason, said: 
 "Men, I have just ordered you to shoot these prisoners. They 
 are Masons, and now I say the first man who dares to shoot one 
 of them, I will shoot him at once." 
 
 The two scouts were taken to City Point and put in the pen, 
 where they found our fellow townsman W. W. Miller, Bill Jack 
 son and an Irishman by the name of Pat Sanders, and a good 
 scout he was too. The Federal General Davis, whose men cap- 
 
310 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 tured him, said: "How many men has General Hampton got at 
 Stoney Creek?" Pat scratched his head and looked at the well- 
 groomed Yankee general, and said : "Faith and Gen. Hampton has 
 no less than fifty thousand of the best fighting men in all Amer 
 ica." The general looked at Pat and smiled, and said : "Take him 
 to the rear." After Miller, Jackson and Sanders were taken to 
 Point Lookout, Waterbun^ and Sanderson were kept at City Point. 
 From their prison cell they could see a majestic oak, and agreed 
 to meet under its wide branches as soon as they could cut a 
 hole through the plank floor with a pen knife; and finally, on 
 the third night, Sanderson slipped through first, and happened 
 to see a blue coat under the tree and flanked the wearer thereof. 
 But Waterbury took the blue coat for Sanderson and ran right 
 into the arms of the guard, who demanded the countersign. 
 Waterbury being equal to the occasion, said really he had not 
 thought to get it, that he had just hitched his horse over yonder. 
 When asked what command he belonged to, he said First New 
 Jersey cavalry. When asked the name of his captain, he said: 
 "Why, don t you know Captain Wilson?" The guard said you 
 may be all right, but I will send you to the reserve picket post, 
 and immediately called the corporal of the guard, who delivered 
 him up to the officer in command, who immediately started him 
 off under one guard, and after going a short distance, Water- 
 bury jumped on the guard, took his gun from him and made him 
 his prisoner, and while doing his best to get into our lines, day 
 suddenly dawned upon him. Then he was forced to remain in 
 a secluded spot with his prisoner. Having lost much sleep, this 
 being the fourth night, nature asserted itself and as soon as he 
 sat down he was sound asleep, losing sight of the fact that the 
 gun was back into the hands of the Yankee, who deliberately 
 shot him through the left lung. Waterbury said: "You d d 
 scoundrel, I could have shot you dead, and I ought to have done 
 it, and you coward, you killed me as soon as I fell asleep." The 
 Yankee sneaked off, thinking he had accomplished his purpose. 
 Waterbury got up and went to his friend, Dr. Bryan, who lived 
 very near, but within the enemy s lines, and as soon as he reached 
 the door he fainted. Dr. Bryan did all in his power to alleviate 
 his pain, but soon the Yankees were there and paroled him, and 
 within a few days took him to City Point, putting him in a dun- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 311 
 
 geon until he could be sent to Point Lookout. In 1868 Wallace 
 Miller went to Baltimore fojr Sol. Legare s remains, where he 
 saw Waterbury in business. 
 
 About the 20th of August, 1864, Federal General Gregg, with 
 his division and Kautz s brigade, had retired to near City Point 
 in order to make us believe that he had gone to the valley, but 
 General Butler did not believe it, although he had been ordered 
 to the valley to meet Gregg. General Butler sent one of his 
 most trusted scouts, now our fellow-townsman, Mr. W. W. Miller, 
 to ascertain the exact whereabouts of Gregg s cominand and re 
 port to him at once. By the time General Butler had reached 
 Hanover Court House, Wallace Miller had been to Dr. Bryan s 
 and bribed the Yankee guard to watch out for him until he could 
 eat supper. But there was no time to eat. Dr. Bryan, in the ab 
 sence of the guard, told this gallant scout that it was all a hoax 
 about Gregg going off, that he wanted to get Butler out of his 
 way in order to make a raid on the Southside railroad, and the 
 veteran scout lost no time in getting a dispatch to General Hamp 
 ton by Bernard King, his brother scout, who was before the war 
 a prominent lawyer in the city of Washington, while he, Miller, 
 caught up with Butler and informed him of the true state of 
 affairs. General Butler at once hurried back to resume his for 
 mer position below Petersburg. On the 23rd of August he met 
 Gregg, just after he had started, and after a severe fight the 
 field was ours. Gregg s cavalry charged some of our dismounted 
 men and some of them almost surrounded General Butler, but 
 in his cool way of doing things, he said : Some of you boys come 
 here and run these fellows off, which was promptly done. Dur 
 ing the hottest part of this fight one of Butler s colonels rode up 
 to him, and under great excitement, said: "General, I am 
 flanked." Butler looked at him for a moment, and said : "Go and 
 flank them back, sir." Too much credit cannot be given Wallace 
 Miller and Bernard King for checkmating Gregg s game. 
 
 General Butler suggested to General Hampton that if he could 
 persuade General Lee to send A. P. Hill s corps down to help 
 us out that we could take Ream s Station from Hancock and 
 Gregg. So on the 25th August, Hill s veterans and our cavalry 
 were soon fighting side by side. Then it was that General Hill 
 said: "The bayonet and the sabre shook hands on the enemy s 
 
312 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 captured breast- works." After the fight was over, Hancock 
 said that he had rather been killed than to have had his men 
 routed and humiliated as they were. It was 1n this fight that 
 General Butler won his spurs as major general, then the youngest 
 major general in either army. 
 
 THE CATTLE RAID, 16TH SEPTEMBER, 1864. 
 
 Mr. E. L. Wells says the information about the herd of beeves 
 upon which the expedition for its capture was arranged, was 
 obtained from Sergeant Shadburne. He accompanied Rosser s 
 leading regiment as guide and was foremost in the attack. Ser 
 geant Hogan, in charge of Butler s scouts, was also with the ex 
 pedition and did excellent service. One scout (McCalla) was 
 killed and three wounded in the fighting. The scouts position 
 required not only coolness, courage, zeal and intelligence, but 
 special faculties born in some few men. The matter of Shadburne 
 giving the information about the cattle is admirable for the pur 
 pose intended, in matter and manner, and runs as follows : 
 
 "Near Blackwater, 5 Sept., 1864. 
 
 "General: I have just returned from City Point. The defenses 
 are as follows:" 
 
 Then are given with the greatest precision the points at which 
 troops are stationed, their approximate numbers, where supplies 
 are stored, and the exact distance between the places mentioned: 
 
 "At Coggins Point are 3,000 beeves, attended by 120 men and 
 30 citizens without arms. At Sycamore church is one regiment 
 of cavalry (First District of Columbia). This is the nearest 
 point of the picket line to Coggins Point (about two miles). 
 The greatest danger, I think, would be on the Jerusalem plank- 
 road in returning. The Tenth corps is on the right (this side of 
 Appomattox river) , Ninth, centre, Fifth next, Second on extreme 
 left. I hear that they have a Fifteenth corps, commanded by 
 Ord. From best information, Birney commands Tenth corps. 
 The Fifteenth and Sixteenth corps are on the other side of Ap 
 pomattox. Butler has just returned (yesterday) from conven- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 313 
 
 tion. (He refers to Ben Butler coming back from a political 
 gathering at the North anent the autumn elections). It is 
 thought more cavalry is about returning. Colonel - is un 
 der arrest for drunkenness, I understand. Stratton in command. 
 
 "Your obedient scout, 
 
 Shadburne." 
 
 The scouts kept Hampton and Butler posted as to any move 
 ment of the Yankees, as well as their cattle, etc. 
 
314 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 WHAT AN ARTILLERY MAN SAW AT THE 
 CATTLE RAID 
 
 After that fateful day, May llth, 1864, when the bullet of the 
 enemy took from the cavalry corps its greatest commander, 
 J. E. B. Stuart, at Yellow Tavern, the man who Longstreet said 
 was the greatest cavalryman America ever saw; the man upon 
 whom Jackson threw his mantle, like Elijah of old; the man upon 
 whom General Lee depended for eyes and ears General Lee did 
 not have to look for his successor no, he was close at hand, and 
 had carved his name with his sabre high in the list of the world s 
 great soldiers. It was Wade Hampton upon whom the mantle 
 fell, and who was worthier? We have heard and do know of the 
 achievements of this command, and that command, from the 
 pens of officers and privates, and I am glad it is so. I read every 
 thing of the kind I come across. 
 
 I have read of Stuart s great ride around McClellan s army on 
 the Chickahominy, and it was a wonderful performance. I know 
 it is considered by military men as an unique feat. I wish I were 
 able to describe it. I recall the enthusiasm it created, and also 
 remember the fate of the gallant Latane, the only casualty. 
 
 It is not of this that I would write. I was not with the boys 
 then. It is of Hampton s great "cattle raid" in September, 1864, 
 that I propose to write in my own plain way, just as I remember 
 it, and just as I read of it, now that it is all over. 
 
 THE MISE EN SCENE. 
 
 In the early fall of 1864, General Lee s army was facing Gen 
 eral Grant at Petersburg, and his infantry lines extended from 
 the Appomattox on the east to about Dinwiddie Court House on 
 the southwest. South of this the cavalry held the lines. I say 
 held them, not as the infantry did, but patrolled them all the way 
 down to Stoney Creek and sometimes beyond. We were too few 
 to man the lines, so we rode them, one night here and tomorrow 
 somewhere else on the line, repelling from time to time by the 
 hardest kind of fighting the repeated attacks made upon the 
 lines of communication, i. e. : the Weldon railroad and the Boyd- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 315 
 
 ton plank-road. The preservation of this meant the life of the 
 army and of the country. 
 
 A QUESTION OF BREAD AND MEAT. 
 
 And this brings us to a question of bread and meat, and I tell 
 you it was, at the time, a very serious matter. My comrades 
 know how we were put to it for something to eat. Sometimes we 
 had bread (such as it was), and sometimes meat, sometimes 
 neither. Men resorted to all sorts of devices to get a square meal. 
 If perchance they met a farmer they at once cultivated him as a 
 long lost brother and made all sorts of excuses to call; took the 
 girls to ride, etc., and never left without eating some meal, either 
 dinner or supper. Our orderly sergeant, a Frenchman of many 
 accomplishments, is said to have called on the widow Hancock, 
 in Dinwiddie County, and on taking his leave also took her gray 
 cat, and his mess ate her in a stew smothered with garlic the next 
 day. "They say so" I don t know. A Frenchman has the repu 
 tation of eating anything. 
 
 GENERAL HAMPTON PROPOSES A RAID. 
 
 Be that as it may, on the 8th of September, General Hampton 
 addressed a note to General Lee informing him that his scouts 
 reported to him that a large herd of cattle were grazing in the 
 rear of Grant s army, in the neighborhood of Coggins Point on 
 the James river, and asking permission to take the force of 
 cavalry and go down and drive out the cattle. The old general 
 was perhaps hungry himself. On the 9th General Lee replied 
 that the only difficulty of importance he saw was in getting back 
 with the cattle. General Lee said he was not sufficiently ac 
 quainted with the country to say how that could be effected, 
 if embarrassed with wagons and cattle, and advised General 
 Hampton to take such a circuit as would allow ample space for 
 his flank pickets to notify him of danger. He said that the 
 Federal General Gregg was near the Weldon road, and that he 
 would move two brigades of infantry down the plank road be 
 hind General Bearing, who was on that road with his brigade 
 of cavalry. 
 
316 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 On the 13th Lieutenant John F. Lanneau, of Hampton s Engi 
 neer corps, wrote Major McClellan, Hampton s adjutant general, 
 for a detail of forty men and two commissioned officers from 
 Butler s and W. H. F. Lee s divisions. He would furnish the de 
 tachment with tools; they would be armed with pistols, and 
 would serve during the expedition as a mounted engineer troop 
 under his direction. He designated Lieutenant Johnson, Com 
 pany A, Fourth South Carolina cavalry, and Lieutenant Baus- 
 kett, Sixth South Carolina cavalry, as suitable officers to take 
 charge of the detail from General Butler s division. 
 
 The detail from General W. H. F. Lee s division were ordered 
 to report to Lieutenant F. Kobertson at General W. H. F. Lee s 
 headquarters, and tools would be furnished them by Lieutenant 
 Lanneau. The men were to be selected from those accustomed 
 to the use of the axe. 
 
 BUGLER SOUNDS "BOOTS AND SADDLES." 
 
 On the morning of the 14th of September, 1864, long before 
 daylight, we were aroused from our camp b}^ the notes of the 
 bugle sounding "Boots and Saddles" and the command to which 
 I belonged (the Stuart Horse artillery) was ordered to saddle 
 up and move out behind the Thirteenth Virginia cavalry. We 
 waited seated on our horses for a long time all waiting seems 
 long and while we waited we speculated upon where we were 
 going and what we were going for. So little do soldiers know 
 of the intentions of their officers, that some said we were going 
 to surprise and capture a brigade of negro troops, and we began 
 in a spirit of humor to tell what we were going to do with our 
 share of the negroes. We had no intention or idea that beeves 
 had any place in the picture at all. 
 
 General Hampton, in his account, says: "On the morning of 
 the 14th I moved with the division of Major-General W. H. F. 
 Lee the brigades of Rosser and Bearing, and a detachment of 
 100 men from Young s and Dunnovant s brigades, under the com 
 mand of Lieu tenant- Colonel Miller, Sixth South Carolina cav 
 alry, and moved down the Rowanty creek to Wilkinson s bridge 
 on that stream, where the command bivouacked that night." 
 
 The command left Wilkinson s bridge at an early hour on the 
 15th and struck out at a trot for Sycamore church, in Prince 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 317 
 
 George County, a point most central and nearest to the cattle, 
 and the place where the largest force of the enemy was camped. 
 General Hampton s idea was that by disposing of them here it 
 made it impossible for them to concentrate any force in time to 
 interfere with the main object of the expedition. By a rapid 
 march the command reached the Blackwater, at Cook s bridge, 
 which had been destroyed. General Hampton knew that the 
 bridge had been destroyed and purposely selected this route, as 
 the enemy would not be likely to look for an attack from that 
 quarter. 
 
 HOW THEY BRIDGED THE BLACKWATER. 
 
 When we reached the bridge we were halted and dismounted 
 to await the arrangements being made by the pioneer people for 
 us to cross. I shall never forget how the bo} r s went out into the 
 fields and dug up sweet potatoes, and how they were stopped 
 when they made fires to cook them. We could not afford to 
 make a smoke, we were informed, and some men devoured their 
 potatoes raw. General Hampton had stopped all citizens en 
 route, allowing none to go forward for fear information might 
 reach the Yankees of his movements. While here, we rested and 
 fed our horses. 
 
 The bridge was completed, and at night we crossed over the 
 Blackwater, and were now particularly enjoined not to make a 
 noise, and several times the musical men of the column were 
 cut short in attempted songs, which they thoughtlessly began. 
 Nothing was heard but the steady tread of the horses and the 
 rattle of the sabres. The guns of the artillery had been muffled 
 by grain sacks being inserted between the elevating screws and 
 the guns. Some time about half-past three or four, we were 
 halted in a road very dark and overhung by the branches of trees ; 
 everything was as still as death ; nothing disturbed the whippoor- 
 will s notes, so lonesome at all times, but more doleful then. 
 
 WITH THE SENTINEL STARS ABOVE THEM. 
 
 One by one the men would slip down from their horses to the 
 soft grass, overcome by the fatigue following rapid movements. 
 We had now ceased to speculate upon where we were going. We 
 were too sleepy, and soon most, if not all, were dozing on the 
 
318 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 ground, with our bridle reins around our elbows. If we dreamed 
 it was of home not of cattle nor war s alarms. The horses, 
 too, slept, and showed no disposition to move *or disturb their 
 sleeping masters. Here we waited. General Hampton, it seems, 
 had directed General Lee to move by the Lawyer road to the 
 stage road, at which point he would encounter the first pickets 
 of the enemy. Here s where we were sleeping. These pickets 
 he was to drive in, and move then to occupy the roads leading 
 from the direction of the enemy to Sycamore church. General 
 Bearing was to proceed by the Hines road to Cook s mill, where 
 he was to halt until the attack in the centre was made, when he 
 was to dash across to Mingo Ferry road, attacking the post on 
 that road and cutting off all retreat, guarding at the same time 
 against an attack from Fort Powhatan, Rosser s brigade and Mil 
 ler s detachment moved on by roads direct towards Sycamore 
 church. General Rosser was to carry the position of the enemy 
 here, and after doing so, to push forward at once to secure the 
 cattle. General Hampton says the three columns all reached the 
 points to which they were ordered without giving alarm. Our 
 long wait w r as to end, our naps were soon to be broken. 
 
 ROSSER ATTACKS THE ENEMY. 
 
 At 5 o clock in the morning, Rosser, over on the right, made the 
 attack. At the sound of the first shots every man in the road 
 who had dismounted sprank to his saddle, and we heard the well 
 known yell, that cry known as the "rebel yell" and which had 
 struck terror to our enemies on a hundred bloody fields. It is an 
 exultant sound, unshrouded ,by the form of words, and on our 
 right it rang out on the early morning air from lusty lungs, and 
 in a minute every horse was in full gallop in our road and we 
 were upon the picket, who seemed to have no idea of an enemy, 
 although we had been so near him since nine or ten o clock that 
 night. We rode the picket down and found the camp on both 
 sides of the road. Some, of course, were up and on guard, but the 
 majority of the Federals were in bed in their little buttoned tents. 
 
 CAPTURED IN THEIR NIGHT CLOTHES. 
 
 We ran them out and took them prisoners in their night 
 clothes. It was the First District of Columbia Cavalry, and I 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 319 
 
 think we took the most of them, with their camp and splendid 
 horses. I remember how forlorn they looked as we mustered 
 them out later in the day, many sitting on bare-backed horses 
 with nothing on but their shirts. General Rosser, it appears, had 
 about as much as he could attend to. He encountered Colonel 
 Spears, Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, the same command that 
 had made a name for itself as a fighting regiment. They made 
 a good fight for their meat, but Rosser finally whipped them and 
 they fell back, leaving their dead and wounded in the field, as 
 well as their camp. General Bearing, on the right, made his at 
 tack according to programme, and was entirely successful. 
 
 THE MONSTER CATTLE DRIVE. 
 
 General Rosser without delay began to drive out the cattle, and 
 General Hampton says "there were 2,486 head of them." General 
 Hampton says in his report to General Lee that he withdrew all 
 forces before 8 A. M., and the different columns were united 
 before reaching the Blackwater. 
 
 That s all right in the abstract; but now comes the return, 
 which General Lee said he feared more than anything else. Be 
 fore we united at the Blackwater, the command that I belonged 
 to moved on to Prince George Court House and looked for the 
 opposing troops. Some of the cavalry found the enemy, and 
 while others cut down trees on the edge of a piece of woods, 
 tried to toll him up where we had our artillery posted with a 
 dismounted support. 
 
 THE GUNBOATS OPEN FIRE. 
 
 They did not at once show a disposition to come out, but very 
 soon Uncle Sam s gunboats on the James river got our range, 
 and, as we did not go down there really to fight, we took tht 
 back track at a trot, stimulated by the bursting of a huge shell 
 every now and then in uncomfortable proximity. 
 
 As I said, we moved at a trot. In fact, we trotted most of the 
 time, that is when we were not in a gallop. We were making 
 haste to join the columns at the Blackwater, Rosser ahead with 
 the cattle, followed by General Bearing and Colonel Miller, 
 General Lee bringing up the rear. 
 
320 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 After the command had crossed the Blackwater, we trotted 
 towards the plank-road. General Rosser advised General Hamp 
 ton that a large force of the enemy was approaching on that road. 
 General Hampton ordered him to take position at Ebenezer 
 Church and to hold the road there and send the cattle by Haw- 
 kinsville Crossing, the plank- road two miles in the rear of the line 
 of battle, which was at once formed. Major Venable, General 
 Hampton s adjutant general, and Major Ryals, provost marshal, 
 took charge of the cattle and were to put them across the Notto- 
 way river at Freeman s Ford. General Rosser held his ground 
 and Colonel Miller and General Bearing soon came to his as 
 sistance. 
 
 General Lee came into the fight before it was over, and I well 
 remember how his dismounted men, as they advanced to a mill 
 pond through the bushes, called to the Yankees to come over and 
 get their bulls, and bellowed at them in derision. 
 
 We had some little fighting not half as much as we antici 
 pated and before 9 o clock we had left our enemy far in the 
 rear and crossed the water by a dam, and were trotting towards 
 our own lines. We had captured some prisoners, and among 
 them a telegraph corps. They were splendid looking fellows, 
 much better dressed than the ordinary Yankee soldier, and their 
 wagons and teams were splendid. In crossing the dam, which 
 was very narrow, one wagon with six mules fell down the bank, 
 and to make the road clear, it was bodily thrown into the water 
 so we could cross. 
 
 I shall never forget how sorry I felt for the telegraph men, 
 who had to drop all their dignity and trot to keep up with the 
 hurrying column. Among the killed was the gallant McCalla of 
 the First South Carolina Cavalry. He and Hogan. one of But 
 ler s scouts, were along and rendered valuable service. We had 
 traveled one hundred miles and had two fights, and best of all 
 had furnished fresh meat for General Lee s starving army, many 
 of whom had not tasted fresh meat for months. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 321 
 
 THE NUMBER OF HAMPTON s MEN. 
 
 I have always understood that General Hampton s entire force 
 on this expedition was about 2,700 cavalry and four pieces of 
 artillery, two of McGregor s guns and two of Hart s battery, of 
 which all South Carolinians have heard. 
 
 WHAT THE FEDERALS .SAY. 
 
 Now let s see by the records what our "friends the enemy" were 
 doing all this time. It seems that they had gotten wind of the 
 proposed raid. 
 
 The first thing in the "Official Eecords" of the "War of the 
 Rebellion" is a dispatch from Colonel George H. Sharp to Gen 
 eral Humphries, chief of staff to General Meade, simply stating 
 that he had information from a prisoner from the Seventh Vir 
 ginia Cavalry, who reported that Hampton had broken through 
 at Sycamore Church, and had captured 2,500 head of cattle with 
 but little loss, etc. Humphries ordered General Davis to strike 
 the returning enemy at once. 
 
 The next is a dispatch at 6 A. M. of the 16th, from General 
 Kautz to Captain H. C. Weir, assistant adjutant general, to the 
 effect that his pickets had been driven in from Mount Sinai 
 Church to the Powhatan stage road, that the commanding offi 
 cer of the Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry thought quite a num 
 ber of horses had been captured. He didn t consider it serious, 
 as the reserves had not yet been disturbed. He had not the news 
 good yet. At 7 A. M. he says he feared the First District cavalry 
 had been entrapped and that the sounds of firing were quite 
 lively on the Powhatan road, and that he had sent a squad of the 
 Third New York Cavalry to the stage road and that Colonel 
 Jacobs has been ordered to dislodge them. At 8 :30 he knew we 
 were after the cattle ; at 9 :15 he knew that the cattle guard and 
 the First District of Columbia cavalry were captured; at 11:30 
 he knew that we had the cattle and that we were "14,000 strong." 
 
 21 B. C. 
 
322 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 A disptach from Major W. A. VanRansellear, of the Eighth 
 New York Infantry, to General Patrick, provost marshal, says: 
 "I have just met a private of the First District of Columbia 
 Cavalry, who was captured, and he says they had four killed and 
 about 300 captured. They also got one herd of 2,600 cattle. One 
 man reports he saw ten regiments of infantry and a battery of 
 eight guns. The First District of Columbia cavalry is terribly 
 demoralized. One of their captains says he killed a brigadier- 
 general. From what I can learn I think the rebels are about 
 5,000 with eight guns. They all belong to Hampton s Legion. 
 General Kautz and Gregg are after them." The suggestion that 
 General Hampton s Legion was 5,000 strong is amusing. I don t 
 think we ever had over half that amount in the best days. The 
 same major reports us in full retreat at 9 A. M. 1 think in this 
 he was correct. 
 
 General Patrick at once ordered Colonel T. B. Gates, com 
 manding at City Point, to put his command in position to pro 
 tect the depot. At 10 A. M. of the 16th, General Meade advised 
 General Grant that at daylight his pickets and reserves, between 
 the James and the Blackwater, were strongly attacked and that at 
 the same time a dash was made for the cattle herd at Coggins 
 Point, and he feared that the herd had fallen info the enemy s 
 hands. 
 
 GENERAL MEADE 5 S FEARS WELL FOUNDED. 
 
 General Meade was certainly correct in his report. General 
 Meade says he had feared, this raid for some time, as with the 
 limited force of cavalry at his command and the great extent 
 of the country to be watched, he had always considered Coggins 
 Point an unsuitable point for the cattle herd, it being liable to 
 capture at any time by a coup-de-main of the enemy in force. 
 
 Now I thought it was a beef raid, and all the time it was a 
 "coup-de-main" I have heard of them, but here I was face to 
 face with one "in force." 
 
 General Grant telegraphed to General Meade from Harper s 
 Ferry at 9 A. M. of the 18th, that if the enemy had made so rich 
 a haul as the cattle herd, that he would be likely to strike far to 
 the south or southeast to get back with it and that their cavalry 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 323 
 
 should either recover what was lost or else in the absence of so 
 much of the enemy s cavalry, they should strike the Weldon road. 
 General Meade reports to General Grant on the 16th, at 10:30 
 P. M., that Kautz reports that the enemy retired as soon as he 
 got the cattle and that he was in pursuit on the Prince George 
 Court House road and Davies on the Jerusalem road, but that 
 Hampton s force was so far superior to theirs and he had so 
 much the start of him that he could do no more than harass us. 
 I did not (at one time) see how we could get out of the trouble. 
 From this on everybody began to make reports and they seemed 
 to think that we would certainly attack Fort Powhatan on the 
 James river. They did not know how anxious we were to get 
 away from the river. 
 
 THE FORGES PURSUING HAMPTON. 
 
 Now, let s see who they sent after us. First, General Hum 
 phries, General Meade s chief of staff, sent General Davies with all 
 his cavalry. Then came a brigade of infantry and a battery of 
 artillery to the Jerusalem road. Next came General Kautz, with 
 his cavalry, to the Prince George Court House road. Next Gen 
 eral Humphries ordered Colonel Smith, of the second division, 
 second corps, to send a strong brigade and a battery of artillery 
 down the plank road, and last he directed the cavalry force, 
 which was picketing between the plank road and the Blackwater, 
 to be withdrawn and to join in the pursuit. 
 
 THE PETTY FIGHT THE FEDERALS MADE. 
 
 And all that any of them did was to make the little fight that 
 General Davies reports at 10:30 P. M. of the 16th. He reports 
 from Proctor s on the Jerusalem road, that he marched there at 
 12 :30 P. M. and sent a brigade over the Jerusalem plank road 
 to intercept the enemy; met them at a point about five miles 
 hence and drove them about a mile (he did not drive us we 
 were going for all we were worth) to the vicinity of Hawkins- 
 ville, where he found them strongly posted between earthworks, 
 having in their front an impassable swamp. He moved down 
 and found General W. H. F. Lee s division, which he failed to 
 dislodge, and gave up the job on that road, and sent a brigade 
 to Stoney creek to try to intercept the head of the column there. 
 
324 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 All this time our cattle were on the trot, and with all their forces 
 
 they could not stop them. 
 
 
 
 A SAFE APPEAL TO THE VERDICT OF HISTORY. 
 
 I think, as I have intimated, this raid ranks with any perform 
 ance by any troops, and I am surprised that abler pens than mine 
 have not long since given it the prominence that it deserved. 
 
 DAVID CARDWELL, 
 Of McGregor s Battery, Stuart Horse Artillery. 
 
 [When General Hampton went after the cattle, both Generals 
 Butler and Young were sick at camp in their tents. General Ros- 
 ser of Butler s division went on the raid, while General Dunovant 
 would drive the Yankee pickets in ever}^ morning in order to 
 make them think that Butler would attack them at once. For 
 three mornings Hancock s pickets were driven in just at sunrise, 
 and Butler s men, who did the driving, got nice breakfasts. 14th, 
 15th, and 16th. U. R. Brooks.] 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 325 
 
 BATTLE OF McDOWELL S FARM 
 
 A courier s narrative of the capture of Lieutenant A. P. Butler, 
 September 30, 1864, and the conduct of Butler s brigade at the 
 battle of McDowell s Farm, October 1, 1864, together with an 
 account of the death of Brigadier-General John Dunovant. 
 
 On the 29th and 30th days of September, 1864, Butler s brigade 
 of Hampton s cavalry, composed of the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth 
 regiments of South Carolina cavalry, and then commanded by 
 Brigadier-General John Dunovant (Butler having been promoted 
 to the command of the division) was moved to and fro, up and 
 down the line, across the Vaughan and Squirrel Level roads, 
 below Petersburg, Va., to meet attacks at various points threat 
 ened, or being made by Grant s army, and on the evening of the 
 30th, a short time before sundown, the Fourth regiment was dis 
 mounted and thrown in to support some command that was being 
 pressed back. After a sharp little fight, lasting until dusk, having 
 succeeded, they w T ere withdrawn, and uniting with the other two 
 regiments, who had been mere lookers on, the brigade went into 
 camp. The writer of this article was on camp guard, and about 
 10 o clock P. M. a horseman, Major Emmett Seibels, galloped up 
 and inquired for brigade headquarters, and in a few minutes 
 thereafter the brigade was in the saddle moving as we understood 
 to support the other brigade of our division Georgians com 
 manded by that gallant and handsome brigadier, P. M. B. Young, 
 who, we were told, had been hard pressed that day, and had lost 
 ground, that would have to be retaken on the next day. 
 
 The camp guard ten men commanded by Captain Sullivan, 
 of the Sixth regiment, were, as advance guard, moved out ahead 
 of the brigade, but were soon overtaken by General Dunovant 
 and his staff, who requested us to move to one side of the road 
 so that they could pass. Captain Sullivan answered that we were 
 the advance guard, and the general replied: "Oh, there is no 
 danger on this road; I will be the advance guard myself to 
 night." So we moved to one side, and as we did so, a limb 
 knocked my hat off, and it fell under the horses feet as they rode 
 by. It was a very dark night, misting rain, and it was useless 
 
326 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 to attempt to get it, so I tied a handkerchief over my head, and 
 after the general and his staff had passed, we fell in behind him 
 and followed on. After riding about a mile r a mile and a 
 half, w^hile going through what was apparently a field, we were 
 suddenly halted by a voice not more than 25 or 30 steps in ad 
 vance of us, yelling out, "Halt, halt, or we fire !" We came to an 
 instantaneous halt, and the general answered, "I am Dunovant, 
 let me pass," and again the voice called out, "I don t know you, 
 dismount, one of you, and advance and give the countersign/ 
 The general replied again, "I tell you I am Dunovant, let me 
 pass." "Dam Dunovant," was shouted back; "we don t know 
 you ; if one of you do not dismount and come up here and let us 
 know who you are, we will fire." The general then turned to one 
 of his staff, Lieutenant Butler, and directed him to dismount and 
 go up and let those men know who we were. The lieutenant 
 replied in a low voice, "General, those are Yankees," and the 
 general asked him "if he was afraid." The lieutenant jumped 
 from his horse, and saying "No, I am not afraid, but I am gone 
 up," started up leading his horse. Hearing his horses feet, the 
 voice from in front called out, "Dismount or we will fire," and 
 Lieutenant Butler then called back, "Dam you, I have dis 
 mounted, I am leading my horse," and the fellow answered, "All 
 right." When the voice first called out, I whispered to my left 
 hand file, Abe Broadwater of Edgefield District, S. C., "Abe, 
 these are Yankees," and he answered that he thought so too. We 
 then drew our old sabres, expecting an order to charge every 
 second. When the lieutenant dismounted, I said to Abe, "The 
 general evidently thinks these fellows are our men, and there is 
 going to be a stampede here in a minute." He replied, "Yes, 
 let us drawn to each side of the road, so they can go between us ; 
 if we don t w T e will be run over." I agreed with him, and we 
 pulled our horses as closely to the side of the road as we could, 
 the brigade, coming on, being then but a few yards in our rear. 
 We had hardly done so, when, as Lieutenant Butler reached the 
 man who had been talking, a light flashed out for an instant, re 
 vealing a large tree and a paling fence in front of us, and again 
 the voice called out, "He is a damned rebel, fire." I instantly 
 leant as far forward as I could on my horse s neck; it seemed to 
 me at the time almost directly in our faces, and yet strange to say. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 327 
 
 not a man nor a horse was hurt seriously, but the panic for a 
 moment or two was awful. The brigade had just reached us, 
 and having heard nothing of the conversation that had passed, 
 the first knowledge of the enemy s presence being the musketry 
 fire in their faces, they broke, but were soon rallied, and having 
 moved a little to the right, and united with the Georgians, we 
 went into camp. We lost Lieutenant Butler, who was taken 
 prisoner by those into w T hose hands he had walked. The next 
 morning, after a sumptuous repast on a hard tack and a piece of 
 pickled pork, we were moved forward to support the Georgians, 
 who had attacked the enemy just after daylight. As the Geor 
 gians drove them slowly back, we moved forward, and near 
 Armstrong s house, were halted in the field. Noticing a Yankee 
 sergeant lying close to the road and his hat lying by him, I rode 
 out of the ranks to him to get his hat, being still bareheaded ex 
 cept for my handkershief, but the fellow had been shot through 
 the head and the hat was besmeared with blood and brains, and 
 I was not yet sufficiently hardened to take it, so I returned to the 
 ranks, and we were again moved forward. At our next halt, 
 however, about 100 or 150 yards further on, a Yankee lieutenant 
 was lying dead, and his cap had rolled off a few feet, and being 
 in pretty good condition, I jumped from my horse and got it. 
 About half a mile from this spot, as nearly as I can estimate it, 
 we were again halted on a timbered ridge. Near us we saw our 
 division commander, Major-General M. C. Butler, and General 
 Young, sitting on their horses upon a brink of a ridge over 
 looking an open valley or field on the right, in which some of the 
 brave Georgians were deployed and fighting with the enemy, who 
 were slowly advancing from out of a wood on the other side of 
 this open field. Young was cursing and storming in that sten 
 torian voice of his, which could be heard for half a mile. "Hold 
 your ground down there, you damned scoundrels," was one of his 
 mildest expressions. The men were fighting gallantly against 
 heavy odds, as we could plainly see, and I remember well how 
 indignant I was at General Young, much as I admired him, for 
 cursing them so outrageously. We were not allowed to watch 
 them but a few moments, however, when the Fourth regiment 
 was dismounted, and accompanied by General Dunovant in per 
 son, moved off to the left down a slope out of sight from us. In a 
 
328 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 few minutes General Dunovant rode back and told Captain Sul 
 livan, who was in command of the Sixth regiment, that he wanted 
 four men. Captain Sullivan turned to my captSin, J. J. Gregg, 
 and directed him to detail four men to report to the general. 
 Captain Gregg turned to me, as I was No. 1 of the first group of 
 fours, and directed us to obey the order, all of which we had 
 heard. I instantly rode up to the general and he led us down the 
 same slope that the Fourth had traversed a few minutes before, 
 and crossing a little branch, the banks of which were covered 
 with thick undergrowth, we came up with the regiment de 
 ployed in an open field, that ascended in a gentle slope from the 
 branch. Riding through the field to the right of the regiment 
 General Dunovant told me to go out into the timber and brush 
 between the right of the regiment and the creek, and take a stand 
 some 75 yards from them in the timber and watch the enemy if 
 they advanced so that the regiment would not be flanked. As he 
 turned back he called to me, that he trusted me there, and that 
 I must not let his regiment be cut off and captured. I replied 
 that I would do my best. He rode off, posting another of the 
 four men some distance in my rear. I was never in a place that 
 I disliked worse than this spot. The regiment was out in the 
 open field to my left, with a high rail fence between (one of the 
 men had pulled it down for me to ride through). In front and 
 to the right of me was heavy timber with thick undergrowth, and 
 I could not see for more than fifty or sixty steps in any direction. 
 I rode up behind a tree about 18 inches in diameter and sat there 
 peering out into the brush with eyes as big as saucer^, waiting for 
 the Yankees to come, and I did not have long to wait, for before 
 the general had left me five minutes, the firing began between 
 them and the Fourth in the field. I sat as still as I possibly 
 could, hoping that the Fourth would whip them before they 
 discovered the "lone picket" hid in the brush, but I was doomed 
 to disappointment, for after the firing in the field had lasted for 
 some 10 or 12 minutes, a shot was fired in front of me and a bullet 
 hit the tree behind which I was trying to hide. Hastily pulling 
 my horse back from it, as another bullet whistled past my head, 
 I saw the smoke of the gun, probably 75 or 80 yards in front of 
 me, and then I fired at the smoke of the gun, for I could see no 
 body. In a few* minutes a small body of "blue coats" came ad- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 329 
 
 vancing through the brush up to the creek to my right. Seeing 
 at once that the regiment was in danger of being cut off, as the 
 general had feared, I wheeled my horse and rode as fast as I 
 could through the brush to the fence, over which my horse 
 leaped, and then I saw the Fourth falling back, and Colonel 
 Stokes commanding them, riding up and down, ordering them 
 to reform at the creek. I informed him that the enemy were also 
 advancing up the creek, and he ordered the regiment to cross 
 the creek and form on the ridge on the other side. This was 
 done, and thinking my little job was over, I started back, but 
 was halted by an officer lying down near the road, (Lieutenant 
 Richmond S. Cobb, Company C, Sixth South Carolina cavalry, 
 killed that evening) and he requested me to picket the road 
 where it crossed the branch. I told him I would not be able to 
 see anything unless they came out into the road, and he answered, 
 "I want to know when they are coming." I turned my horse 
 slowly and rode to a spot near some old field pines, near the 
 brink of the creek bank, from which I could overlook the cross 
 ing. In a few moments I saw a few Yankees crossing the road, 
 and as I again wheeled to get out of the way, two bullets whistled 
 past my head. This time I saw both men when they raised their 
 guns to aim at me, but not being more than 40 or 50 steps from 
 them, I did not take time to return an acknowledgment of their 
 salute, but made a masterly retreat behind the pines, until I got 
 near the lieutenant, when I shouted to him that they were at the 
 crossing. This brave officer gallantly rose to his feet and called 
 to me, "I thank you very much for what you have done." I had 
 been feeling rather angrily at him for sending me where he had, 
 but these thanks put me in a good humor and I saluted him and 
 rode off to report to the general, as the firing commenced, but 
 the Yankee attack at this point was feebly made and they were 
 soon driven back. I found the general (Dunovant) a short 
 distance in rear of the line down the slope talking with his adju 
 tant-general, Captain Jeffords. I made my report, and after 
 listening to it, the general told me to remain with him and act 
 as courier for him, as he needed me. I then found out that the 
 company U B" to which I belonged, had been, shortly after I 
 had been sent off, detailed to watch some other point, and I did 
 not see any of them until about sundown, when Captain Gregg 
 
330 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 came upon the field serving as a volunteer staff officer. He and 
 I were the only ones of the company who got into the fight that 
 day. Shortly afterwards General Dunovant rode* off, leaving me 
 with Captain Jeffords. In about 15 minutes, however, he re 
 turned and ordered me to go to Captain Sullivan of the Sixth 
 and tell him that Chambliss brigade would shortly charge the 
 enemy in the flank, and as soon as the yell was heard for him, 
 Sullivan, to charge in front and to send the order along the line, 
 so it Avould be fully known. Starting to ride off the general 
 called me back, and told me to tie my horse to a tree and go on 
 foot, as there was plenty of time and there was no use, he said, 
 to expose myself unnecessarily. Dismounting, I tied my horse 
 and ascending the little rise a short distance, say 100 yards from 
 the top of the slope, I found the Sixth lying down behind a rail 
 fence which they had torn down and threw into piles and skir 
 mishing with the enemy. This fight was shortly after Hampton s 
 capture of the 2,500 beeves from Grant s army, and as I crawled 
 along from rail pile to rail pile looking for Captain Sullivan, 
 the men were bellowing like bulls, and shouting over to the Yan 
 kees, "Good, fat beef over here; come over and <*et some," and 
 then a fellow would jump up and bellow, and by the time he 
 dropped, bullets would be whistling over our heads and rattling 
 on the rail piles. As I passed along I tried to persuade them to 
 wait until I could get by, but with little success. The bellowing 
 continued all the time I was there. Having found Captain Sul 
 livan and communicated to him, as well as all the other officers 
 I saw, the order. I returned to General Dunovant, and in less than 
 half an hour we heard the rebel yell on our right and the general 
 and Captain Jeffords dashed forward. The brigade sprang over 
 the rail piles and charged across the fields upon the Yankees not 
 more than 200 or 250 yards from us, and took their line from 
 them , another lot of rail piles, strengthened with hastily thrown 
 up embankments and logs. This charge would have been far 
 more successful than it w T as had not the brigade, as they dashed 
 forward, been momentarily checked by discovering that they 
 were being charged by the Virginians, who had, in attempting to 
 flank the Yankees, not gone quite far enough, and had charged 
 us instead of the Yanks. I heard afterwards that Major-General 
 Butler, who was leading the charge on our right, had leveled 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 331 
 
 his pistol on a Virginia colonel and was in the act of firing when 
 he recognized him. This mistake, however, enabled the Yankees 
 to get out of their entrenchments and retreat before we got many 
 of them. The brigade now reformed behind the works we had 
 taken, and as I rode up with General Dunovant, we met General 
 Butler and a hurried conversation ensued between them which 
 (being the first time I had ever heard generals discussing a 
 movement on the battlefield) deeply impressed me. Butler asked 
 Dunovant if he was familiar with the ground, and being an 
 swered "No," turned to another officer who was on foot, and said, 
 "Major Farley, have you not been over the ground before." Far 
 ley answered, "Yes, I reconnoitred it two or three days ago." 
 Butler then said, "Does this creek not make a bend here, and 
 if I move down the creek, can I not get enfilade fire upon the 
 enemy s position on the other side?" Farley answered, "Yes." 
 Butler at once turned to Dunovant and said, "General, move the" 
 brigade by the right flank down this creek until you get that 
 position, then attack." During this conversation I had noticed 
 that Dunovant had seemed to be very impatient, and when Butler 
 gave him this order, he saluted and replied: "Oh, General, let 
 me charge em, we ve got em going and let us keep em going." 
 Butler said, "General, I am afraid I will lose too many men." 
 "Oh, no we won t," ansAvered Dunovant, "my men are perfectly 
 enthusiastic and ready to charge, an we ve got the Yankees de 
 moralized, one more charge will finish em. Let me charge them." 
 Then I saw Butler s face change. He had been calm and un 
 moved till then, but as Dunovant said this, his face flushed, his 
 eyes seemed to grow darker (I was looking him directly in the 
 face not five feet from him) and in a voice short, sharp and stern, 
 he called to Dunovant, "Charge them, sir, if you wish." In 
 stantly Dunovant wheeled his horse, and his voice rang out to the 
 brigade, "Forward, charge !" and as the cry ran down the line, 
 and the brigade went over the works into the brush on the creek 
 bank, Dunovant rushed out into the road and down to the creek, 
 shouting to the men to charge, and just as he reached the creek, 
 I saw him fall from his horse to the ground, and reigning my 
 horse back for fear of treading on him, two men picked him up 
 instantly, and as they did so, General Butler leaned almost over 
 on his horse s neck and called out, "Who is that shot?" I replied, 
 
332 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 "General Dunovant." "Is he killed?" he asked. I answered, 
 "Yes, I think so." Butler then said to the men who had him, 
 "Carry him back, and don t let the men know it,* and turning to 
 Colonel Stokes, who was also there, said, "Colonel, take command 
 of the brigade." By this time the brigade had been repulsed and 
 was falling back. Stokes, telling me to come with him, rode back, 
 and he and General Butler rallied the men, and once more 
 formed them behind the entrenchments that \ve had taken in 
 the previous charge. There was realh 7 no forming to do except 
 to halt them, as they had fallen back in good order. General 
 Butler left us at this place, and I next saw him a few minutes 
 afterwards out in the open field, in rear of and seeming to be 
 superintending the fire of Hart s battery, that had moved up 
 directly in rear of our line, and was hotly engaged. We held 
 this position for a long time, and whilst there, sitting on his 
 horse, a minnie bullet passed between Colonel Stokes leg and the 
 stirrup leather, grazing the leg, I believe. I saw him jerk his 
 leg up, and asked him if he was hit, and he told me what had 
 happened. After we had held the position for I think at least 
 an hour, Colonel Stokes said to me, "I never had command of a 
 brigade before, and I don t know what to do in here. I will go 
 back and ask General Butler what he wants us to do, come with 
 me." I followed him across the field, as he rode to where the 
 general was immediately behind the battery, and when we got to 
 him the colonel asked him what he wanted done. The general 
 answered, "Nothing just now, only to hold our position. I have 
 just heard from General Hampton and he says th-it he has sent 
 W. H. F. Lee s division to reinforce us. As soon as they come we 
 will take that place over yonder." Just at this moment I hap 
 pened to look back to the edge of the timber on the right from 
 which the colonel and I had just come, and saw the men break 
 ing from the line, some of them had gotten at least 100 yards in 
 the rear. I instantly called out, "Colonel, look at the line, 
 the men are breaking." Stokes whirled around and dashed back 
 towards them, and Butler caught me by the arm and said, "Go 
 run down yonder to those leading men and stop em, I will be 
 there as soon as I can to stop any more breaking." I rode at 
 full speed to the men and shouted to them that General Butler 
 ordered them to the front at once. There were not more than 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 333 
 
 12 or 15 in the lead there, and they halted as I spoke and all but 
 four or five started back to the front. I rode up to the few 
 that had remained who were standing near a big tree, and lying 
 down at the foot of it I saw an officer. I again repeated Butler s 
 order to the men and told them that reinforcements were coming. 
 One one-legged fellow said, "What do you know about it?" I 
 told him what I had heard General Butler say a few minutes 
 before that William Henry Lee was coming to reinforce us, and 
 he yelled back, "Reinforcements ; hell ! I ve heard that cry until 
 I am sick of it ; they always tell us that reinforcements are com 
 ing but they never come." Just at this time Gneral Butler dashed 
 up with his pistol in his hand, and his voice rang out, "Back to 
 the front, men." And all the men started back in the double 
 quick. The officer lying behind the tree sprang to his feet, and 
 Butler, seeing him, j^elled out, " - w r hat in the hell are 
 
 you doing there ; go to the front at once, sir." The officer replied, 
 "General, I ll go if the men only will," and as quick as lightning 
 came the answer, "The men are already there, you d d coward; 
 if you don t go to the front, I ll blow your brains out myself," 
 and that pistol was leveled at him. He made good time getting 
 back towards the front, and as he did so the general called to 
 him, "If you ever lead my men off this way again, I ll kill you." 
 
 I followed the general back and found that he and Colonel 
 Stokes had restored the line. Some time after this rally, per 
 haps an hour, we were again ordered forward, and the men 
 succeeded this time in crossing the creek, and capturing the 
 works on the other bank, but the Federals fell back very deliber 
 ately, and rallied and formed a short distance in rear of this 
 line, and from then until night was concentrated upon us a ter 
 rible storm of grape-shot, cannister, and minnie balls. 
 
 The fire had been pretty heavy from the time we made our 
 first charge in the forenoon but it was now doubled. Their 
 reinforcements must have come up ; ours, as that long-legged 
 fellow had said, never did get to us. The brigade was, however, 
 moved out to attack them and again and again gallantly strove 
 to pierce their line, until finally the men lay down in the timber 
 between this second line we had taken from the Yankees, and 
 fairly sulked. They would not retreat, but could not break the 
 Yankee line. I saw Colonel Stokes finally get off his horse 
 
334 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 and stand holding him by the bridle. I at once gladly did 
 the same, only to get behind a big pine tree, to be stampeded 
 from it a minute or two afterwards as a shelf cut in two an 
 other one near it, and it came crashing down where it fell. I 
 got behind my tree again, and in a few minutes afterwards, 
 an officer, whose name I do not now remember, came crawling 
 up to me and asked if I was a courier. On my replying "Yes," 
 he said, "Major Farley wants you to come to him." I replied 
 I was Colonel Stokes courier, and looked around for the colonel, 
 but could not see him, and then I inquired where the major was. 
 The officer pointed to a small group of officers lying down a 
 short distance from me, and I went to them. As I did so, 
 Farley raised up and said, "Courier, I wish you would go 
 back to General Butler and tell him the men are doing no 
 good in here, and I think we ought to be drawn back to the 
 works." I turned to go, and as I did so, Farley said, "Stop; if 
 I send that word to the general he might think I am afraid." 
 One of the officers remarked there was no danger of that, and 
 the little red-headed major made some other remark, and then 
 I spoke, "Major, I am going to lie down, too; the rest of you 
 all are, and I am standing up." He replied, "Well, go out and 
 tell General Butler that we are nearly out of ammunition, 
 and if he asks you anything about what we are doing here, you 
 can tell him that you heard us saying that we were doing no 
 good, and so on." I started off, leading my horse, until I got 
 under the creek bank, where I mounted, and just then I met 
 Colonel Stokes and my own captain, Gregg. I informed the 
 colonel where I was going/ and repeated Farley s conversation, 
 and he had just seen General Butler and was coming from him 
 with an order to fall back. And then he ordered me to go 
 to Major Farley and tell him to have the dead and wounded 
 brought out, and then fall back behind the captured works. 
 I asked permission to go in on foot, and it being granted at once, 
 I dismounted from my horse and proceeded to tie him, when 
 from under the bank came that same officer whom Butler had 
 cursed so and said, "I ll hold your horse for you." Giving him 
 the halter rein, I went back to Major Henry Farley and gave 
 him the order. This gallant officer, than whom there were none 
 braver, at once started on the line, ordering the men to gather 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 335 
 
 the wounded and dead, and carry them out, and T went back to 
 Colonel Stokes. It was about sundown then, and we remained 
 there until the brigade began falling back, when the colonel. 
 Captain Gregg and myself, mounted and rode back across the 
 creek, Avhere the command was halted for an hour or two, and 
 then long after dark we were moved back and went into camp. 
 It had begun to mist by this time, and I tied my horse and, 
 stumbling around for some dry spot, I came across a wide 
 plank, and thinking that I would rest a little before I hunted 
 up food for myself and horse, I stretched out upon this plank, 
 and the next time I knew anything the sun was shining in my 
 face. I had slept all night in the rain (it was a light one, 
 though), without blanket or other covering, and my poor horse 
 was standing tied close to me with the saddle on. I got up as 
 quickly as I could, and found old Company "B" in camp near 
 where I was. I soon got provender for my horse and then some 
 hard tack and pork for myself. But I was so stiff from being 
 in the saddle all the day before that I could scarcely walk. 
 
 Our greatest loss that day was General Dunovant, a brave, 
 gallant soldier. He died leading a charge that I believe would 
 have been preeminently successful had he not fallen. I have 
 heard him since styled as rash for urging this charge, but the 
 cool and impassive Butler gave him permission, and we subse 
 quently succeeded in carrying with the same men the position 
 that we then were charging when he fell, and from the increase 
 in the enemy s fire I have always believed that subsequent to 
 Dunovant s death and prior to our last successful charge, they 
 had been heavily reinforced. I was told that his body was 
 sent back to old Chester, S. C., the next day, and I for one 
 think that when so many monuments are being erected for our 
 honored dead, Butler s brigade should have one erected over 
 Dunovant s grave if South Carolina will not. Were I yet living 
 in the Palmetto State I would try to get up a subscription for 
 it. Will not some of those "bulls of Butler s" that bellowed so 
 that day undertake it? 
 
 Before I conclude this narrative I wish to pay a fitting 
 tribute to Dr. Charles Buckhalter, a former private in our 
 company, but on that 1st day of October, 1864, an assistant 
 surgeon to our brigade. When the first charge was made upon 
 
336 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 the enemy s first line that day, I saw Charlie Buckhalter gallop 
 over the field under fire, dismount from his horse to attend 
 to a wounded man, and he made his litter corps come promptly 
 to the ground to carry off the wounded. 
 
 I have neither seen nor heard of him since the surrender, 
 and I do not know whether he is living or not, but I feel that 
 a narrative of the day s fight would not be complete without 
 this statement of his heroism, and if he is dead, his memory 
 should not be forgotten whilst one of Butler s brigade lives. 
 
 I have said nothing about the conduct of any other command 
 on that day (except Young s in the morning) because I know 
 nothing personally of what they did. We know that they had 
 hard fighting. Indeed, I learned afterwards that the reason 
 why General W. H. F. Lee failed to reinforce us was because 
 he had all the fighting he could attend to where he was, and 
 would have been glad to get reinforcements himself. 
 
 I have never seen a report of the conduct of the brigade 
 in this fight, nor do I believe that one was ever made, owing 
 to the fact that our brigadier was killed, and the command then 
 devolved upon Lieu tenant- Colonel Stokes, who was superseded, 
 I believe, on the next day by Colonel Rutledge, who arrived 
 and took command, and the continual fighting, etc., that we 
 were engaged in from that time to the surrender left but little 
 time for reports. Therefore, I have written this statement in 
 order that the brave conduct of a gallant brigade and the 
 heroic death of its general might not be forgotten. 
 
 That day was my first experience as a courier on a battlefield, 
 and I learned that a courier in such a position has by no means 
 a bomb-proof. 
 
 CHARLES MONTAGUE, 
 Company "B," Sixth South Carolina Cavalry. 
 
 Bandera, Texas. 
 
 There was not a better soldier in Dunovant s brigade than the 
 writer of the above. 
 
 In this fight General Butler was wearing a raincoat which was 
 perforated by four minnie balls, one on either side of his body 
 and one through each sleeve a dark, dismal, rainy day. When 
 General Dunovant was shot, Dr. Fontaine immediately started to 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 337 
 
 him and was himself shot. Dr. Taylor, with his usual fearlessness, 
 braved the danger and when he reached them found both dead. 
 
 General Lee, in a letter to General Hampton, writes : "I grieve 
 with you at the loss of General Dunovant and Dr. Fontaine, two 
 officers whom it will be difficult to replace." 
 
 Lieutenant A. P. Butler was a son of Governor Pierce Mason 
 Butler who was killed at Churubusco, Mexico, leading the Pal 
 metto regiment, 20th August, 1847. 
 
 Lieutenant Pick Butler, w r ho was named for his uncle, Judge 
 Butler, was very tall and slim. There lived in Edgefield, S. C., 
 before the war a good old Methodist preacher by the name of 
 Mr. Pickett. who was just the opposite to Pick Butler. Very 
 short but with an immense corporation. He said to Pick Butler : 
 "Pick, w ; hy are you so tall," and he replied, "Well, Mr. Pickett, 
 if you were hammered out like me you would be the tallest." 
 
 The night Lieutenant Butler was captured he was riding, a 
 bobtailed bay horse, and of course his name was "Bob." The 
 Yankees said that they had captured "Butler s Tower," meaning 
 a tower built by their general, B. F. Butler of New Orleans 
 fame, sometimes called Beast and Spoons Butler. The only time 
 that Senator Hoar was ever heard to curse w r hile in the United 
 States Senate was when he told General M. C. Butler that old 
 B. F. Butler of Massachusetts was the d dst liar in the United 
 States 
 
 One of the gamest men I have ever seen in battle was Major 
 Hugh Farley, late Adjutant and Inspector-General of South 
 Carolina. On the 27th October. 1864, at the battle of Burgess 
 Mill he rode over the field seemingly as unconcerned as though 
 he was looking at a plantation. He was a splendid soldier and 
 was a brother to Major Henry Farley, who commanded General 
 Dunovant s dismounted men men who had lost their horse 
 and acted as infantry until they could get remounts. 
 
 A member of the First New Jersey cavalry petitionel Congress 
 for a medal, claiming that he had killed General Dunovant, and 
 of course he got the medal. Colonel Kester commanded this 
 regiment, which was as good as any cavalry regiment in the 
 Yankee army, but I do not understand how a man could claim 
 that he had killed the general when at least a thousand guns were 
 fired at him perhaps at the same time, but I suppose the ma- 
 
 22 B. c. 
 
338 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 jority of the Congressmen thought he ought to have been killed 
 and some one should be rewarded for it with a medal because 
 he was killed. :. 
 
 General Dunovant owned two beautiful sorrel horses and a 
 negro named Monroe, and frequently the couriers Vould give 
 Monroe a pass to go out foraging, and he being slick of hand 
 and tongue, would always return with something. On the 23rd 
 September, 1864, Postell Mood wrote a pass and started Monroe 
 off that night for "apple jack" and anything else he could con 
 veniently pick up. We sat up listening to the firing of the infantry 
 in the trenches and hoping Monroe would soon return, but as 
 yet no Monroe. Of course he rode the horse into the Yankee s 
 lines. When the general was killed his horse continued his 
 course into the lines of the enemy. 
 
 When the Yankees captured Captain Pick Butler on the night 
 of the 30th, just before the capture General Dunovant expressed 
 himself in no uncertain terms to them, and of course they were 
 very much excited. The sergeant in command kept saying "Halt," 
 "Halt," and those of his men who were Americans began to say 
 "Halt" like he did, and a little Dutchman would say"Sthand stheel, 
 I shoot," and when the sergeant gave the command to fire, the 
 Dutchman being just behind him, fired and the bullet went 
 crashing through the sergeant s head, and that was why Charlie 
 Montague could not wear the fellow s hat the next day, as it 
 was too bloody. When the guns flashed, my horse reared and a 
 bullet went through my hat, taking a quantity of hair with it. 
 
 Lieu tenant- Colonel L. P. Miller, of the Sixth South Carolina 
 cavalry, was thrown from his horse, his foot hung in the stirrup, 
 and but for a peach tree that his horse dragged him up against, 
 which broke the stirrup leather and released him, he would have 
 died a miserable death. 
 
 Early the next morning, 1st October, a prisoner was brought 
 to headquarters. He was about 21 years old, red-headed, freck 
 led-faced and was not handsome, and I immediately proposed to 
 trade hats with him, and he said: "Where is yours?" I said, 
 "You shot it off last night." We traded. 
 
 About 4 o clock P. M. General Dunovant told me to go back 
 to camp. I said, "Why, General," and he replied, "Suppose we 
 are both killed, who will take care of us." Did he expect to be 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 339 
 
 killed? I think so. Just as I had reached the camp and had 
 unsaddled my horse Press Burch rode up hurriedly on his beau 
 tiful little roan mare and said, "The general is killed." I imme 
 diately returned to the battle field and brought his remains to 
 camp. The next day General Butler started me for Chester, 
 S. C., with the general s body, where it lies today at the home of 
 his birth. No braver man ever filled a soldier s grave. 
 
 "The world shall yet decide, 
 
 In truth s clear, far-off light, 
 That the soldiers who wore the gray, and died 
 With Lee, were in the right." 
 
 Ocala, Fla., September 12th, 1908. 
 
 Dear Brooks: Please pardon my remissness in not complying 
 before this with your request for a brief history of my connection 
 with the dismounted battalion of Butler s Cavalry brigade in 
 Virginia. 
 
 Your request brings up one of the most unpleasant episodes 
 of my military life, but possibly it is a duty which I owe myself 
 that the task should be performed. I often look with wonder 
 at that class of people who appear to take pleasure in nursing 
 their griefs. Even now, with all the years gone by since our 
 fruitless struggle for what our people believed to be right, when 
 memory recalls the incidents of that horrible four JQSLTS of war 
 with its fearful carnage, I cannot keep down the aches in my 
 heart, and the tears from my eyes, which make me almost 
 ashamed of my manhood, when I meet those of my companions 
 who are yet numbered among the living. Memory carries me 
 back to my connection with the Sixth South Carolina cavalry, 
 when as its adjutant, lieutenant-colonel and colonel, I strove to 
 make of the magnificent material I found ready to my hand, 
 a regiment of soldiers perfect in all the duties belonging to a 
 military service. It is hard for me to think that in proportion 
 as they were made efficient, that in proportion as their fighting 
 lines corresponded to the morning reports for duty, they fur 
 nished food for shot and shell. But such is war. 
 
 With the exception of Robert Aldrich, I am the only one left 
 of the regimental field and staff captains and lieutenants except 
 
COLONEL L. P. MILLER 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 341 
 
 Lieutenants Minis, Sullivan, John Bauskett and John Kennerly, 
 almost all on the other side of the river; each year brings me 
 nearer to its banks. Sometimes, in imagination, I can almost 
 hear the ripple of its waters as it hurries on to the sea. 
 
 If it were germain to the matter in hand, I would like to tell 
 of the soldierly deed of gallant Captain Mose Humphrey, Troop 
 F, who always went to the firing line with a glory on his face, 
 but who, poor fellow, died from his wounds received the morning 
 we charged Kilpatrick s camp. I see Lieutenants Minis, Sulli 
 van, John Kennerly, John Bauskett and a lot of others, deport 
 ing themselves most gallantly. I can never forget the blue hen s 
 chickens, the Shipman boys, Ben and Harmon, and Shaft Moses, 
 and Shands of C Troop, and Cameron of Whitner s Troop, ana 
 little Jackson, who ran away from home twice to join the regi 
 ment. Xo man ever had a trio of finer soldiers than the young 
 fellows I had at my headquarters for special service Belton 
 Orchard, Charles Montague and - - Bolt, obedient, good tem 
 pered, perfectly fearless, unselfish, they were as near perfection 
 as soldiers as men ever get to be. I would like to place crowns 
 of laurels on the graves of Sergeant-Ma j or Oscar Sheppard and 
 Ben Shipman. Sheppard, as you know, was killed at Trevillian, 
 and they tell me that Shipman, who succeeded Sheppard as 
 sergeant-major, died after the war from the effects of his wounds. 
 But, my dear Brooks, I feel as if I am fighting shy of my sub 
 ject, the dismounted battalion. 
 
 A short time before the fight at Trevillian, I was ordered to 
 report at General Butler s headquarters. "Colonel Miller," the 
 general said, "I am going to give you a very unpleasant assign 
 ment. I wish you to take charge of the dead line camp of the 
 brigade, which you will find near Richmond, on the Brooks turn 
 pike, and break it up." In reply to my pleadings not to be taken 
 from the regiment, he said: "No, from what General Hagooc*: 
 told me, you are the man for the job; the camp is a discredit to 
 the service, and I am sick and tired of the complaints as to the 
 depredations of the men and negroes belonging to it. I will 
 promise to relieve you as soon as practicable, and will at some 
 future time show my appreciation of your service by giving you 
 a more pleasant task." I carried out my orders, but went back 
 to the regiment after Colonel Aiken was wounded at Trevillian, 
 
342 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 the most fearfully abused man in the Army of Northern Vir 
 ginia. I will say here, however, as a set off, that some months 
 after, while at General Hampton s headquarters, Major McClel- 
 lan, chief of staff of the cavalry corps of the army, said : "When 
 I inspected your camp I found it such a model of efficiency and 
 discipline that I recommended that you be placed in general 
 charge of the dead line camp of the cavalry." I told him while 
 it was pleasant to hear his commendation, I was glad his recom 
 mendation had not been agreed to. He laughed and said: 
 Generals Hampton and Butler would not hear to it." 
 
 A brief history of my efforts to carry out my instructions may 
 possibly translate this tangle of commendation and condemna 
 tion. The camp was found at the point indicated. It was a mess. 
 I found almost as many men here as were at the front, as many 
 negroes as there were soldiers, and a sprinkling of officers who 
 did not belong to the detail, not able for active service, but not 
 sick enough to go to the hospital. The horses of the enlisted 
 men were in a sorry plight from want of care, constant riding 
 over the country, and from the long march from South Carolina 
 by road. So much for the component parts of the camp. I found 
 the men carrying their horses to the clover fields, turning them 
 loose to trample very much more than they could consume, and 
 their masters and the darkies, some mounted and some on foot, 
 scattering over the country. The conditions were depressing. I 
 was confronted by my orders to break this camp up, and the 
 consciousness of the odium to be incurred in doing it. A large 
 portion of the soldiers in the camp were gentlemen, respected 
 at home, and worthy of tli9 high regard of their officers; they 
 were the victims of circumstances and the bad men in the camp. 
 But I soon saw there was no alternative. These men, good and 
 bad, had to be organized into a dismounted battalion and sent 
 to the front. The officers who did not belong to the detail had 
 to be ordered to report to their commands or go to the hospital ; 
 and that the darkies had to have the knowledge thrashed into 
 them that they had to obey orders. I wrote to General Butler 
 to this effect and requested him, if he could spare them, to send 
 me a small detail of men from the front with good horses, 
 which, with the selections I would make from the men in the 
 camp, would take care of the horses and forward them to their 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 343 
 
 owners as soon as deemed serviceable. General Butler approved; 
 the dismounted battalion was sent to the front and order reigned 
 in place of chaos. 
 
 I cannot close this communication without thanking General 
 Butler for his kind consideration, which at the time I did not 
 express. Immediately after my return to the front, he issued 
 an order placing me in charge of the drill and instruction of the 
 officers of the brigade. I felt then that it was a delicate way of 
 expressing his appreciation of my efforts to carry out his orders, 
 for I knew full well that with the active campaign in which we 
 were engaged, there was little time for anything else but fighting. 
 With high regards, 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 L. P. MILLER, 
 Colonel Sixth South Carolina Cavalry. 
 
 P. S. If time permits, I will send you, as requested, a brief 
 account of the distinguished gallantry of Belton Orchard the 
 night before General Dunovant was killed. L. P. M. 
 
344 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 BUTLER S NIGHT MARCH 
 
 Ocala, Fla., September 20, 1908. 
 
 Dear Brooks : In complying with your request, a lot of gallant 
 young fellows come trooping up before me. Lieutenant Nettles, 
 who was killed; the Aldrich boys, Alfred and Robert; the 
 Doziers, etc.; Dargan, who filled Ben Shipman s place as ser 
 geant-major when Shipman was wounded; the Sullivans, John 
 and - , of Company A; Campbell, of Whitner s com 
 
 pany, yourself, Beckwith, of Company G, and others worthy 
 of mention. With a thousand of such men a commander could 
 tackle almost any odds. 
 
 It may be interesting to give a brief statement of the series 
 of happenings which led up to the events before us. With 
 General Bearing s North Carolina brigade, we had been fighting 
 nearly all day in the vicinity of the Vaughn road, south of 
 Petersburg. As night approached, our lines were withdrawn 
 and we were ordered into camp, and the guard detail established. 
 As I sat talking with some of my officers, memory brought up 
 the sad fate of a dear friend and schoolmate of mine, Lieutenant 
 William Allen of Charleston. When his regiment, Twenty-third 
 South Carolina, was ordered to Virginia, he handed me some 
 of his personal belongings, saying: "I know I will never come 
 back home and I do not wish strangers to have these things." 
 He was killed in the first fight after his regiment arrived, and 
 his body was not recovered. Thinking of this, I remarked that 
 Premonitions are not always verified. Today is the first time 
 I ever felt I was going to be killed before it closed, yet, here 
 I am alive." 
 
 While I was talking, the bugle at brigade headquarters called 
 "boots and saddles." Orders from General Dunovont followed, 
 "Sixth South Carolina in front to go to Armstrong s mill." 
 Armstrong s mill consisted of a small settlement, and a very 
 large dwelling house on high pillars with a ten-rail worm fence, 
 staked and ridered, quite near, and along a road which came 
 from the direction where we had been fighting during the day. 
 Our course would strike this road at right angles at the house, 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 345 
 
 and would have an extensive new-ground clearing on its left. The 
 column, by fours, was soon formed, and put in motion, with no 
 advance guard, but with the camp guard and General Dunovant 
 with his staff immediately in front of the Sixth. I could not 
 help remarking to Lieutenant Kennerly, who was acting adjutant 
 for me at the time, as to the queerness of the disposition. I knew 
 that a camp guard, as it was usually detailed, was not a unit, and 
 in an emergency would be almost worthless as a fighting force. 
 When the brigade was almost at the fence, a sharp command 
 rang out, "Halt," and immediately after, "Whose command do 
 you belong to?" I turned to Kennerly and said, "John, we are 
 up against the Yanks." "How do you knoAv?" he asked. "Why, 
 that fellow talks through his nose; go back and warn the squad 
 ron commanders to hold their men steady no matter what hap 
 pens, and to extend the same orders to their troop commanders." 
 The night was black, a misty rain was falling, the files in front 
 could hardly be distinguished, there was a dead calm; one could 
 almost hear a leaf falling to the ground. The column stood 
 motionless, in anxious expectation. General Dunovant, after a 
 moment s hesitation, replied: "Dunovant s brigade." "Duno 
 vant s brigade is it, I do not know you. Dismount one and give 
 the countersign." Captain Pick Butler of the staff was then 
 ordered to go forward and comply with the command, but Pick 
 had no Yankee countersign, and knew full well that he was 
 going into the hands of the Phillistines and to Yankee prison, 
 and Pick was slow. The officer became impatient and he again 
 ordered, "Dismount one and give the countersign, or I will fire 
 into you." General Dunovant, provoked at Pick s tardiness, said : 
 "Captain Butler, are you going to obey my orders, or shall I 
 attend to it." Pick replied, "I am going to," but the poor fellow 
 still moved slowly. Fortunately for us Pick, in approaching the 
 enemy, went to the left of the column. The officer again shouted, 
 as he heard the sound of Pick s horse s feet, "Dismount I say, 
 or I will fire into you." Captain Butler is about seven feet tall. 
 Serious as the time was, I could not help laughing at his reply : 
 "I am dismounted. I am a very tall man, and I am leading my 
 horse." After a short colloquy. I heard the officer say: "They 
 are damn rebels," and then, lining up his command, came the 
 order, "Ready, aim, fire." Poor Pick, the last I heard of him, 
 
346 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 the Yankees had taken his hat and fine boots, and were marching 
 him to City Point, but even in his trial and tribulation he showed 
 his good road sense by going out from the left of the column, 
 and thus in the darkness of the night, drawing the fire of the 
 enemy away from his people. Not a man on our side was killed 
 or wounded, but I was told that a dead Yankee was found the 
 next day on the left of where the column was standing. I was 
 sitting on my horse three or four yards to the left of the head 
 of the regiment when the order "fire" was given. Immediately 
 after the volley, I heard Captain Zimmerman Davis, of the Fifth 
 South Carolina, who had been detailed from his command for 
 special service at brigade headquarters, shouting "Halt!" "Halt!" 
 "Halt!" and here came pell mell the panic-stricken camp guard. 
 I might as well have tried to stem a torrent with a straw. Down 
 went horse and rider. In trying to brace myself from the shock, 
 my right foot had slipped between the leather covering and the 
 stirrup on my army saddle. When my horse recovered his feet, 
 off he rushed across the new-ground field with my body being 
 smashed to the ground with every stride he took. The premoni 
 tion came flashing back, here is death; what Avill become of my 
 poor wife and child. When my horse had run about two hun 
 dred yards, and consciousness was nearly gone, my foot was 
 wrenched from its boot, and with my right leg almost out of its 
 socket, the fingers of my right hand dislocated, the skin and hair 
 from the side of my face and head gone, was left dazed, battered 
 and bruised, a miserable wreck. Sitting on the ground in this 
 condition, I heard some one not far from me calling "Colonel! 
 Oh, Colonel!" I answered, and Orchard rode up and lifted me 
 on his horse, got up behind, and we joined the command, which 
 I found in perfect order. I asked Orchard the next day how it 
 was he came to find me. "I heard you trying to stop the stam 
 peded guard, I heard the crash when they struck your horse 
 immediately after, I called to you, not being answered, I dis 
 mounted, and fearing you had been killed, I felt on the ground 
 where I last heard you. Not finding you, and remembering that 
 I heard a horse running, I took the chances and rode in the direc 
 tion of his flight." Thus it was that the premonition that I would 
 be killed that day was not verified. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 347 
 
 I have seen men marching shoulder to shoulder to almost cer 
 tain death, but in all my experiences, when I consider the de 
 moralizing influences attending this act of Orchard s, I know 
 of no more deserving or higher distinction for usefulness and 
 gallantry. 
 
 The Sixth South Carolina stood like a rock. Had not the 
 discipline and pluck of the regiment made them immune to the 
 contagions and disorder around them, and they had stampeded, 
 Butler s brigade would more than likely have been broken to 
 flinders in the woods that night. Colonel Millin s battalion of 
 cavalry had been stampeded only a short time before by a single 
 shot from one of our own pickets, and had run twelve miles, horses 
 and men being killed and wounded in the mad race. If my 
 memory serves me rightly one of Wellington s veteran divisions, 
 during his Peninsula campaigns, was stampeded by a drove of 
 eight cattle. It is difficult for even old soldiers to understand this 
 epidemic of fear which, at times, makes soldiers as uncontrol- 
 able as wild cattle. As I lay on my cot the day after the inci 
 dent described, it was a great comfort to think General Hagood 
 correct in his statement to General Butler. 
 
 General Butler, when we were not fighting on our own ac 
 count, would sometimes ask me to ride the lines with him. One 
 morning as we passed the regiment, he was pleased to speak in 
 a very pleasant and complimentary way concerning it, and 
 wound up by saying: "Do you know, if I had not met General 
 Hagood in Charleston, I would have left your regiment in South 
 Carolina; he asked me which regiments I was going to take 
 back to Virginia. I told him the Third, Fourth and Fifth. 
 He said: My advice to you is to take the Sixth, as it is a fine 
 regiment. I replied, They have the reputation in Virginia of 
 being a set of wild Arabs. He said, What they formerly were, 
 they are not now. For the last four or five months, Miller has 
 been in command and he has made of them a regiment of sol 
 diers. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 L. P. MILLER, 
 Colonel Sixth South Carolina Cavalry. 
 
348 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 904 Devisadero St., San Francisco, Cal., Sept. 19, 1908. 
 My Dear Brooks: Your very kind favor of a recent date re 
 ceived. I am very much pleased that you consider that my poor 
 labors for our dear country are worthy of commemoration. 
 Kindly advise me what period you would have the sketches from 
 my pen embrace. I could begin with Brandy Station and follow 
 with the most stirring events of my own personal career if so 
 desired, or if you would prefer it, confine myself to one chapter 
 as you suggested. Either would be a tribute of love, and I trust 
 void of vain-gloriousness of self, for, candidly, I am striving 
 hard to lay aside that poor personage. I am convinced that this 
 life is made up more of sorrow, trials and vicissitudes than of 
 joy, and that there is but little in all its struggles and ambitions. 
 I am and always was very fond and proud of our dear friend, 
 General Butler, and have constantly associated him with that 
 other dear friend of ours, our dearly beloved General Wade 
 Hampton. I believe General Butler lost his leg at Brandy Sta 
 tion, or was it at Culpeper Court House, or more properly Cul- 
 peper ? How I remember the raid of Warren in the winter of 
 1864 when five men froze to death on their picket posts. General 
 Butler was the central figure everywhere during that trying 
 period, and by his untiring and gallant efforts Warren was 
 driven ignominiously back from his foray for booty and lust for 
 beauty. When near the end of our journey, one day about noon, we 
 called at quite a pretentious house for our lunch, and as the scout 
 was ever a welcome visitor, we were soon ensconsced in easy chairs 
 by a crackling fire and were dreaming of the good things shortly 
 to come, w r hen one of BJLI tier s men entered and inquired of our 
 beautiful young hostess if she could send General Butler a bottle 
 of brandy. "Certainly," she replied, and soon produced the de 
 sired bottle, and requested the trooper to give her kind 
 regards to the general. You know the ladies always loved 
 the general. He bowed low, cap in hand, and he, too, said 
 "certainly." I felt sure the general would never see that bottle 
 or taste that brandy, and he certainly did not, for that night I 
 informed him of the episode as we reclined by the camp fire, and 
 the general, though laughing all the while, said: "The scoundrel, 
 and just to think he used my name, imposed on that young lady, 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 349 
 
 and never gave me a drop, confound him; if I could catch him, 
 I l make him suffer for his villiany." 
 
 When the laugh was over, in which the general joined as 
 heartily as any one, I said to him, "General, you have the ad 
 vantage of us." He answered, "How?" I said, "You have but 
 one foot to get cold and we have two." I should not have said 
 it, but it was a grim piece of humor that the soldier seldom loses. 
 He took it good naturedly and simply smiled at the cork foot, 
 which was as handsomely booted and spurred as the other, and 
 you know what handsome feet and what a handsome man he 
 was. God bless him, I loved him then, and I love him still. 
 Kindly commend me to him and assure him that if by any hun> 
 ble effort of mine I can add to his glory, the labor will be one 
 of love. 
 
 If you have "North Carolina Regiments," a recent history, 
 kindly read pages 622-627, Volume 3, "Hampton s Beef Raid." 
 If I have transgressed on you thus before, pardon me. Some 
 times egotism will get the better of us, and I concede that I am 
 not entirely free from it, profoundly though I pray to be immune 
 therefrom. Kindly inform me how soon I must get to work and 
 how soon you wish the picture. 
 
 Lovingly and loyally yours, 
 
 SHADBURNE. 
 
350 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 BUTLER S BRIGADE IN 
 
 (From the Macon Telegraph, November, 1807.) 
 
 In the spring of 1864 the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth regiments of 
 South Carolina cavalry were transferred from duty on the sea- 
 coast of South Carolina to Virginia, and constituted what was 
 thereafter known as "Butler s Brigade," though subsequently 
 commanded by Generals Dunovant, Law and Logan, and Colonel 
 Hugh K. Aiken. Being armed with Enfield rifles, its chief 
 fighting was done on foot, and it soon won for itself throughout 
 the Army of Northern Virginia, as well as the Army of the 
 Potomac, the soubriquet of "that fighting cavalry from South 
 Carolina." No doubt the character and reputation of the brig 
 ade was due in great measure to the example and leadership of 
 two such generals as M. C. Butler and Wade Hampton. During 
 the spring, summer and fall of 1864 this brigade was constantly 
 engaged in active and arduous service, as a reference to the battles 
 in which it was engaged will show. 
 
 Beginning with Drury s Bluff, Chester Station and Atkinson s 
 farm, fought by the Fifth regiment, which served as an infantry 
 between Richmond and Petersburg while awaiting the arrival of 
 the horses, and the other regiments of the brigade from South 
 Carolina, followed by the battles of Charles City Court House, 
 Hawes Shop and Cold Harbor, in May; Trevillian Station, 
 White House, White Oak Swamp and Riddle s Shop, in June; 
 Nance s Shop and Sappony Church, in July; Gravelly Run, in 
 August; Reams Station and the Vaughan road, in September, 
 and Cummins s Farm and Burgess Mill, in October, besides in 
 numerable skirmishes, which, though sometimes unpleasantly hot, 
 did not attain to the dignity or importance of being mentioned 
 as battles, and a record is shown of a pretty vigorous campaign. 
 
 This constant service and fighting made fearful havoc in the 
 ranks of both men and horses. I do not remember the losses of 
 the other regiments, but my own (the Fifth) lost over 400 
 officers and men in killed and wounded, besides about 50 captured, 
 during the six months above mentioned. The chief fighting was 
 done on foot with the rifle, but there was not wanting the brilliant 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 351 
 
 dash and the headlong charge with sabre and pistol, the shock of 
 which the enemy seldom waited to meet. During this campaign 
 Butler had been promoted to be major-general to command 
 Hampton s division, and Colonel John Dunovant of the Fifth to 
 the command of the brigade. 
 
 In the fall of that year Wade Hampton, then lieutenant- 
 general, and commanding all the cavalry of the Army of North 
 ern Virginia, occupied with a part of the corps the extreme right 
 of Lee s army. From Hatcher s Kun, ten miles south of Peters 
 burg, his lines extended indefinitely to Stoney Creek and beyond, 
 so as to protect the Southside railroad and the Boydton plank- 
 road, and thus to keep open the country from which General Lee 
 drew a large part of his supplies. The Southside railroad was 
 one of the main arteries by which supplies were brought from 
 southern Virginia and North Carolina, and repeated efforts had 
 been made by the enemy to reach and destroy it. The first at-, 
 tempt of any strength was made by the cavalry of Generals 
 Wilson and Kautz, which, however, was intercepted and literally 
 cut to pieces by Hampton at Sappony Church. After this fre 
 quent attempts were made by the enemy to dislodge our cavalry 
 on the Vaughan road, and to cross the Boydton plank-road in 
 order to get possession of the White Oak road, in the rear, upon 
 which they might advance and destroy the Southside railroad, 
 as well as to endeavor to turn Lee s right flank and force him to 
 alter his lines for the defense of Petersburg and Richmond, or to 
 evacuate them entirely (which General Grant finally succeeded in 
 accomplishing in April, 1865.) 
 
 One of these demonstrations was made in force on the morn 
 ing of October 1, 1864, but the enemy was driven back from 
 several successive lines of battle to Cummins s farm, across 
 Hatcher s run. The brave Dunovant was killed by a bullet 
 through the brain while leading his brigade in a brilliant charge 
 on that day. The last and most formidable attempt to break our 
 lines during that year (1864) occurred on the 27th of October. 
 The enenw s force, as we afterwards learned from prisoners, con 
 sisted of parts of three army corps, numbering upwards of ten 
 thousand men. They advanced b}^ several roads, which necessita 
 ted the retiring and concentration of our cavalry at the junction 
 of the Boydton plank-road and the White Oak road, near Bur- 
 
352 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 gess Mill on Hatcher s Run. About 3 P. M. Butler s brigade 
 charged, dismounted, across an open field on the right of White 
 Oak road, and drove the enemy back to the* cover of a dense 
 pine thicket on the Boydton plank-road, where their entire in 
 fantry was massed, while they had placed several batteries of 
 artillery in position on the brow of a hill just beyond the thicket, 
 and out of view of the battlefield. Our line of battle was halted 
 at the crest of a small hill and along a rail fence, only a hundred 
 yards or so from the enemy s line of battle, and heavy and con 
 tinuous fire was kept up until long after dark. During the 
 progress of the battle General Butler dispatched me to the line 
 of battle with an order to the various regimental commanders. 
 While riding across the open field I was met by a detail bearing 
 the dead body of Lieutenant- Colonel Jeffords, the commanding 
 officer of the Fifth regiment, who had been killed on the line of 
 battle. (I was at this time serving as A. A. A. and I. general 
 on General Butler s staff, but by the death of Colonel Jeffords 
 was promoted the next day to the command of the regiment). 
 After delivering the order of General Butler to Colonel Rutledge, 
 Major Ferguson and others, I was making all the haste I could 
 to get out of a fire which was uncomfortably hot for one on horse 
 back, several balls having passed through my clothing, when I 
 saw a staff officer, who appeared to be riding to meet me, fall 
 from his horse. I galloped up to see who he was and to render 
 assistance, \vhen General Hampton and his staff rode up. We 
 all dismounted and General Hampton, stooped over the pros 
 trate form, gently raised his head and kissed him, saying: "My 
 son, my son." It was his son, Lieutenant Preston Hampton, his 
 aide-de-camp. 
 
 The little group was in full view of the enemy, and a volley 
 was fired at us, wounding four of the party, one of 
 them being Captain Wade Hampton, Jr., another son 
 of our noble chief, who, having been upon the staff 
 of General Joseph E. Johnston, and reported for duty with his 
 father upon the removal of General Johnston from the command 
 at Atlanta. I assisted Captain Hampton to mount his horse, and 
 supported him to where General Butler was overlooking the field 
 a short distance to the rear, and leaving him in General Butler s 
 care, I galloped a hundred yards or so further to the rear, where 
 
GENERAL WADE HAMPTON 
 
 23 B. C. 
 
354 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 I found a surgeon taking care of the wounded. Returning with 
 him at full speed, we met General Hampton riding by the side of 
 a spring wagon, which had been found in a Tarm yard on the 
 field, and which was being pulled out of the line of fire by some 
 of the staff and couriers. Dr. B. W. Taylor, the chief surgeon of 
 Hampton s Cavalry corps, was sitting in the wagon supporting 
 the head of Preston Hampton upon his shoulders, but the gallant 
 youth had ceased to breathe. General Hampton simply said, 
 "Too late, doctor," and turning his horse, he rode over to a por 
 tion of the field where Lieutenant Bamberg of Hart s battery was 
 engaged with two guns in an artillery duel with the batteries on 
 the hill in the rear of the pine thicket, and he directed their fire 
 until after dark, giving particular instructions as to the number of 
 seconds fuse, and the elevation of each gun at each discharge. 
 The accuracy of this fire was attested the next morning as we 
 saw there several exploded caissons and over twenty dead horses. 
 It was an ennobling and inspiring sight to see this grand hero, 
 with the kiss from the lips of his dead son still warm upon his 
 own, while the other son was being borne from the field severely 
 wounded, thus subordinating parental affection to duty to his 
 country. 
 
 It remains only to say that owing to the obstinate resistance 
 met with at this point, the enemy found that they could not 
 succeed in reaching the railroad, and also fearing an attack the 
 next day by General W. H. F. Lee, on their left flank, and Gen 
 eral Mahone on their right, they quietly and noiselessly retreated 
 during the night. 
 
 This was the last battle of any consequence fought by the 
 cavalry that fall, as the roads soon became well-nigh impassa 
 ble, and both armies went into winter quarters. 
 
 ZIMMERMAN DAVIS, 
 Colonel Fifth South Carolina Cavalry, Butler s Brigade, A. N. V. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 355 
 
 READ BEFORE CAMP HAMPTON, 3RD SEPTEM 
 BER, 1899 
 
 A cold, rainy day towards the end of October in the year 1864, 
 Hampton s cavalry was guarding the right wing of Lee s army, 
 between Burgess Mill on Hatcher s Kun and the Kowanty. An 
 indescribable melancholy which hangs over an army when on 
 the eve of battle betokened that something of a grave and serious 
 character would usher the 27th of October out. It was the 
 autumn time, the glorious forests of old Virginia for weeks back 
 had given under its foliage a gentle resting place for cavalrymen, 
 infantrymen and artillerymen. Headquarters of generals had 
 been located near farm houses or some old "Colonial home" full 
 of the traditions of the "past," so fraught with the spirit of an 
 cient and present hospitality. 
 
 It was the autumn-time, when leaves gently fall and cover oft 
 in many places the graves of the unnumbered and unlettered 
 gallant dead. The oak, the hickory and elm had each in turn 
 shed leaves; all delicate and tender plants hid themselves away 
 until the season came around once again to welcome them to 
 sunlight and to shade. The change of season was upon us dull, 
 dreary days of danger and death, rested upon the face of the 
 earth. The campaign of a short time before had resulted in 
 sending General Phil Sheridan and General Wilson to cover; 
 they had been roughly handled by the corps of cavalry com 
 manded by General Wade Hampton, and sought shelter under the 
 protection of General U. S. Grant and his superb army, well 
 equipped and representing all branches of a magnificent array 
 of men and horses, carbines and improved rifles. Sabres, too, 
 glittered along his rifled guns he had near at hand to shell towns, 
 to hurl into advancing columns or to cast over the tops of trees 
 into the Confederate lines the fatel shell which, upon leaving 
 the gun, cast a circle or wreath of white smoke behind it, that 
 one might trace thereby the death mission entrusted to it. It was 
 
356 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 a sturdy set of men, seemingly without end of numbers, and they 
 
 came 
 
 
 
 "Like the wolf on the fold, 
 
 And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold. 
 And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea, 
 When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee." 
 
 Grant s plan of battle was to drive Hampton across the South- 
 side railroad, which, if successful, would have forced General 
 Lee to evacuate Petersburg. His forces moved in three columns, 
 the Ninth corps on the road to Hawks, the Second corps down 
 the Vaughn road to Hatcher s Eun, and the Fifth corps on a line 
 intermediate between the other two parts of which had to be 
 opened. Major-General Parke was instructed to move on the 
 presumed position of Hampton s men, and, if practicable, drive 
 them out. Major-General Warren supported General Parke and 
 Major-General Hancock (who was called by Dan Dougherty 
 "the superb"), with parts of the Second corps and Gregg s divis 
 ion of cavalry, was ordered to cross Hatcher s Run and to capture 
 the bridge at the mill on the Boydton plank-road. Hampton s 
 men charged his line from the woods to his (Hancock s) right 
 and rear, and attacked him vigorously, at the same time advanc 
 ing on his left and attacking Gregg in the rear. The fight was 
 in an open field and very sharp and severe. General Meade, in 
 his report of date October 28, 1864, says: "In the Second corps 
 the losses, owing to the severe fighting, were believed to be heavy," 
 and regrets to report "that owing to the want of transportation 
 and to the character of thp cases, some of the wounded were left 
 in charge of surgeons in some houses on the field. No return of 
 casualties has yet been made." He might have added that they 
 had no time to make out any return of casualties, as they were 
 all too busy getting back to their former positions within the 
 entrenched lines. If this was a victory for the "blue coats," all 
 I have to say is that about three more just like it would have 
 demolished Grant s entire arm} 7 . Whoever heard of a victorious 
 army escaping under the cover of darkness and leaving their 
 dead and wounded on the field in the hands of the enemy ? When 
 this fight occurred Butler s division was guarding the crossing 
 of the Rowanty. We were encamped on the Quaker road some 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 357 
 
 distance to the right of the mill on Hatcher s Run. General But 
 ler behaved with such gallantry on the battlefield at Reams 
 Station on August 25th, 1864, that he was promoted to major- 
 general, and General John Dunovant, colonel of the Fifth cav 
 alry, who for gallantry was promoted to brigadier-general, took 
 command of General Butler s old brigade and was killed at Mc 
 Dowell s farm on the first day of October, 1864, Avhile leading 
 his men to victory. Would it be out of place for me to state 
 right here that about twenty minutes before he led his charge, 
 he said to me, after I handed him a biscuit and a slice of ham: 
 "Go back to the camp and remain there ; suppose you were killed, 
 who would take care of me?" Was he forewarned that he was to 
 die so soon? I did take care of him. I carried his remains to 
 Chester, S. C., where I left all that was mortal of this brave, 
 generous and chivalrous man with his brother, Colonel Quay 
 Dunovant. 
 
 Butler s division was composed of Dunovant s brigade (which 
 was commanded by the gallant Colonel Hugh Aiken in this fight) 
 and General Rosser s Virginia brigade and Young s Georgia 
 brigade. When Hancock opened the fight, just at the break of 
 day, General Butler ordered me to go at once to the front and 
 report the cause of the firing immediately to him, and on my 
 way back I met a Confederate colonel, who asked me what the 
 trouble was. I told him that the enemy were advancing in full 
 force. (See Mohun, page 310). After leaving the colonel I 
 soon met General Butler and lost no time in putting him in pos 
 session of the facts. Hancock s corps forced a passage across the 
 Rowanty and drove in our pickets. General Hampton ordered 
 General Butler to withdraw and take position higher up the 
 creek at Burgess Mill. The left of Young s brigade was on the 
 extreme left of the cavalry, and rested on the mill pond, having 
 an open old field in our front. General Butler was also directed 
 to move forward as soon as he heard the guns of General 
 Wm. F. H. Lee, whose division was to deploy on our right. While 
 awaiting General Lee s attack we had thrown up temporary 
 breastworks of fence rails, logs and such material as we could 
 get. Hart s grand old battery of horse artillery was stationed 
 by General Butler along our line with guns commanding the field 
 in front; this was after the gallant Major Hart lost his leg about 
 
358 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 12 M., but as usual Gunner Bamberg and Gunner Verdier were 
 at their guns. This gallant old battery covered itself with glory. 
 Gunner Bamberg is now the retired merchant, General Bamberg, 
 at Bamberg, S. C., and Gunner Verdier is none other than the 
 Hon. W. J. Verdier, the distinguished lawyer at Beaufort, S. C. 
 
 At the signal I was sent by General Butler to tell the gallant 
 Colonel Jeffords to move forward the entire line. As soon as 
 Colonel Jeffords gave the command to forward he was shot 
 down and died instantly. His remains now rest in Magnolia 
 cemetery at Charleston, S. C. General Butler "fought the devil 
 with fire" by dismounting the men, and they fought like devils, 
 and attacked a division of Federal infantry stationed in the 
 woods, and in the old field in our front. The firing was terrible. 
 As soon as General Butler gave the command the whole brigade 
 bounded over the breastworks and advanced, firing; the artillery 
 at the same time firing over their heads with rapidity and effect. 
 General Butler s headquarters were at the corner of Burgess 
 garden, near where two guns of the battery were posted. Major 
 Barker, adjutant-general of Hampton s old division Butler s 
 then was with General Butler that day. He missed Major 
 Barker and Captain Nat Butler from his side, and looking across 
 the garden to his right he saw these two and Preston Hampton 
 riding in the midst of the line of advancing men, waving their 
 hats and cheering them on. They were perhaps a hundred yards 
 to his right and the heavy firing prevented their hearing him. 
 General Butler waved his hand to them and Nat Butler spurred 
 his horse around in front of the garden, and looked so handsome 
 "with long, dark brown hair and a rosy mouth, and eyes like the 
 blue heavens in a night of frost." Preston Hampton turned to 
 return to his father, whose headquarters w T ere a hundred yards 
 to the right and rear, and as he turned off in one direction and 
 Nat to the other, he called out, "Hurrah, Nat," and almost in 
 stantly was shot in the groin and mortally wounded. I rushed 
 up to where he was, and soon Dr. B. W. Taylor was at his side 
 to alleviate his pain, but alas too late; his young life blood had 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 359 
 
 gone, and thus ended the career of this, one of the bravest of 
 the brave young men, who died so gloriously for our Lost Cause. 
 
 "Do we weep for the heroes who died for us, 
 Who, living, were true and tried for us, 
 And dying, sleep side by side for us, 
 
 The martyr band, 
 
 That hallowed our land, 
 With the blood they shed in a tide for us?" 
 
 I learned right here my first great lesson of life from General 
 Hampton, which is self-control. When he saw his dying son 
 lying on the ground he dismounted and kissed his brave boy, 
 wiped a tear from his eye, remounted and went on giving orders 
 as though nothing had happened. How can we control others if 
 we do not control ourselves? General Butler rode up to this 
 group and asked General Hampton who had been wounded, and 
 with an agony of expression he replied: "Poor Preston has been 
 mortally wounded." General Butler ordered a one-horse wagon 
 near by brought down so that his remains might be carried out. 
 Meantime the enemy discovered the crowd around him and coi* 
 cent-rated their fire on us, and shot young Wade Hampton 
 through the spine and killed one of General Hampton s couriers. 
 About one hour after General Hampton s sons were shot, one of 
 the cannoneers of Hart s battery reported to General Butler that 
 a major was lying some distance in front in the broom-sedge, 
 badly wounded. He at once sent some scouts out in search of 
 him, but they returned unsuccessful. After a time Major Barker 
 dragged himself out, terribly wounded. When Dr. B. W. Taylor, 
 chief surgeon of the division, examined him, he thought the 
 wound fatal, but he happily recovered. Our own Dr. B. W. 
 Taylor took no heed of cannon balls nor minnie balls that day, 
 but spent the whole time alleviating the sufferings of the 
 wounded. Never was there a surgeon in any army who behaved 
 with more gallantry and Christian fortitude than did Dr. 
 Taylor. 
 
 We kept up the fight until nightfall. I can never forget that 
 night; how young Wade Hampton was carried to a little hut, 
 and when Dr. Taylor went to dress his wound, Captain Lowndes, 
 who was as brave as Julius Caesar, could stand and see the 
 
360 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 enemy bleed and die, but when he saw how bloody his friend 
 was, he fainted and fell like a beef. Dr. Taylor had to admin 
 ister to him at once before proceeding with the wounded young 
 man, who behaved so gallantly in the fight. 
 
 General Hancock was driven some distance and retired to 
 his lines. 
 
 Our attack saved General Mahone s division, which was being 
 handled well, but hard pressed on our left by largely superior 
 numbers. We also heard that Hancock made a very narrow 
 escape. A shell from Hart s battery exploded very near his 
 horse. It seems that General Grant always selected General 
 Hancock Avhen he wanted to attack General Hampton. He 
 gave us a terrible fight, but did not succeed in breaking into our 
 lines very far. In the afternoon of this memorable day, General 
 Lee sent General A. P. Hill with his gallant old corps down to 
 help us entertain the several corps commanded by Major-General 
 Parke, Major-General Gregg and Major-General Warden, while 
 we strained a point to entertain General Hancock, "the superb," 
 specially. 
 
 Colonel John Esten Cooke, in "Mohun," speaks of General 
 Butler as the gallant, noble Butler. "The bravest are the ten- 
 derest, the loving are the daring." General Maury tells a story 
 worthy of everlasting remembrance about three of our distin 
 guished young soldiers: "Colonel John C. Haskell, whose arm 
 was shattered so that amputation at the shoulder was necessary. 
 The surgeon was about to administer chloroform, when Haskell 
 said: Stop, Doctor, you must have very little chloroform since 
 the enemy have declared it contraband of war. Is it not so? 
 Yes, Colonel, said the surgeon. Then keep it for some poor 
 soldier who needs it, I can do without it. was the reply of this 
 brave, unselfish man. 
 
 "General M. C. Butler of South Carolina was seriously 
 wounded and maimed for life at the battle of Brandy Station. 
 He and a young captain named Farley had just come out of 
 action early in the morning, and were laughing together over 
 some amusing incident they had noticed, and at that moment a 
 cannon ball came bounding at them. It struck Butler s leg above 
 the ankle, tore through his horse and cut off Farley s leg above 
 the knee. Down they all went, Butler began to staunch the 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 361 
 
 blood with his handkerchief and advised Farley how to do the 
 same. Captain Chestnut, Lieutenant Khett and other officers 
 came running to Butler s help, but at that moment he observed 
 that Farley s dying horse was struggling and seemed likely to 
 crush the rider. Go at once to Farley, cried Butler, he needs 
 you more than I do. They did as they were bidden, and as 
 Farley was placed on a litter, he asked them to bring his leg and 
 put it too on the litter. Then he said: Now, gentlemen, you have 
 done all for me that is possible. I shall be dead in an hour. God 
 bless you for your kindness. I bid you all an affectionate fare 
 well. Go at once to Butler. That evening General Butler s leg 
 was dressed in the hospital just as poor Farley breathed his last. 
 Henceforth," says General Maury, "we shall not need to go to 
 Sir Philip Sidney for an example of noble self-sacrifice." 
 
 General Butler s division staff consisted of Major T. G. 
 Barker, adjutant-general; James N. Lipscomb, captain and 
 assistant-general; O. N. Butler, lieutenant and aide-de-camp; 
 John S. Preston, major and assistant inspector-general; 
 B. W. Taylor, chief surgeon; James M. Mason, captain 
 and ordnance officer; George Melton, major and assistant 
 commissary-general; Major Emmet Seibels was acting aide-de 
 camp. The couriers were : Jim Nix, who rode a roan horse ; Alex 
 Taylor, who was mounted on a beautiful little sorrel ; Billy Gar- 
 vin, was on a dark brown, ball-faced, white-legged, glass-eyed 
 horse, and a little fellow named Jackson, who was known among 
 the couriers as "Stonewall," rode a sorrel horse. I was mounted 
 on a bay. Starling Turner was wagon master, and Billy Burrell 
 was caterer, Jesse Hart was headquarters commissary, and John 
 Wyche drove the headquarters ambulance, and an old fellow 
 named Johnson drove the medicine ambulance. This old fellow 
 was subject to cramp colic, as we will see later on. The day before 
 the battle of Burgess Mill John Wyche, Jesse Hart, Hugh Scott, 
 the famous scout, and myself messed together and had decided 
 to celebrate my 18th birthday, Thursday October 27, 1864, in 
 royal Confederate style. "Our birthdays, what are they but 
 warnings that sound at intervals from off the rock-bound coast 
 of time." Unfortunately for us, we thought then, Hugh Scott 
 was ordered to go behind Grant s army. We knew from that 
 order that trouble was near, but did not expect it so soon. For 
 
362 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 the birthday celebration we procured a canteen full of apple 
 jack, and John, my faithful servant, had gathered together a 
 chicken, a peck of sweet potatoes and some collards. Jesse Hart, 
 Wyche and myself sat around the camp fire talking about the 
 good things we would have next day, and after passing several 
 resolutions that we would not open the canteen until next morn 
 ing, we reluctantly retired for the night in the headquarters 
 ambulance. Hart weighed 200 pounds, Wyche 190 pounds and 
 I 120. I was wedged in between them, but for thinking of the 
 good things we thought were in store for us, we could not sleep, 
 and I ventured to say that I could not see how just one drink 
 would hurt us. So we were soon again around the fire drinking 
 from the "old canteen," and w r hen we returned to the ambulance 
 I soon discovered that there was no room in the ambulance for 
 me and the apple jack too, as I began to feel very sick and every 
 thing seemed to be turning round. I put my head over the hind 
 gate of the ambulance in order to pour out the "vials of wrath" 
 of the apple jack. I was soon relieved, however, but must say 
 to my disgust that I raised such a racket that General Butler 
 was awakened, and said in a loud voice to Wyche : "What in the 
 d l i s the matter out there?" And he quickly answered: 
 Nothing, General, only old man Johnson has got the cramp 
 colic, but the medicine we recommended will soon fix him." It 
 is useless to say that we ate nothing until Friday, the 28th. As 
 above stated, the fight began at the break of day on the 27th. 
 Hancock s men pressed us very hard, and a desperate fight took 
 place right in our camp. We slowly fell back to our regular line 
 of battle on the Boydton plank-road, where we fought stubbornly 
 until black dark, as described above. 
 
 After the battle, on Friday morning, I asked John where my 
 servant was and Wyche said : "I never saw a nigger run so since 
 I was born. He passed the wagon train with a double-barrel 
 shotgun, with nearly all of his clothing torn off, and said he 
 would kill every d d Yankee that was fool enough to catch up 
 with him that he was getting mad." About three days after 
 the fight John got back with his face badly scratched up and no 
 hat, and begged me to let him go home, where he remained. He 
 was an affectionate negro. When my brother was killed at Tre- 
 villian Station on the 12th of June, 1864, John wept like a child. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 363 
 
 Well do I remember how my brother and myself, when little 
 boys, would beg the overseer not to whip him for running away. 
 Every time the cotton got in the grass John was just as sure to 
 run away as a wild horse is to run when the trace breaks. John s 
 first trip to Virginia was with my father in 1862, and when he 
 returned so full of romance was he that all the negroes from the 
 surrounding plantation would stretch their eyes and marvel at 
 the wonderful tales as told by him. After the war I remember 
 in October, 1865, a Yankee soldier had straggled away from the 
 garrison at Edgeneld, S. C., and asked me for dinner, which I 
 gave him, and soon discovered that he was in liquor. He wished 
 to return my kindness; said that he would go into the field and 
 straighten out the negroes. He went alone. The first order he 
 gave John jumped on him and beat him unmercifully, and told 
 him that if ever he caught him on that place again he would cer 
 tainly kill him. The soldier evidently thought he was in earnest 
 for he never returned. I asked John why he beat him so, and he 
 said: "Well, Marse Nuly, I just wanted to show these niggers 
 how I used to do them d d Yankees up in Virginny." If John 
 were here tonight how natural it would be for him to ask if he 
 was the only nigger who ran at Burgess Mill. Let history 
 answer. 
 
 In the Field, Virginia, October 30, 1864. 
 
 Captain Israel R. Sealy, Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of Vir 
 ginia and North Carolina, Army of the James. 
 
 Sir: We, the undersigned officers of the Twenty-second Regiment, 
 U. S. Colored Troops, most respectfully and urgently solicit an order con 
 vening a court of inquiry to investigate the action and conduct of Colonel 
 J. B. Kiddoe, while commanding the regiment during the 27th inst., and 
 leading it into action on the evening of the same day. Fully imbued with 
 the responsibility resting on us while taking our men into action, we hold 
 it to be due the honor and name of the regiment to which it is our pride to 
 belong, as also a duty owing to ourselves, as men and officers, and to the 
 men under our charge, that the veil be lifted which enshrouds our dis 
 graceful rout on the 27th inst. * * * 
 
 Signed by six captains and one lieutenant of the colored regiment. 
 
 It seems from their own report that the "rebel yell" (as usual) 
 had a moving effect on this occasion. 
 
 Comrades, did you ever fight negroes in the war? Well, if 
 so, did you notice that your guns would shoot faster and 
 
364 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 straighter than ever before? Did you ever see a comrade after 
 he had surrendered to a negro soldier, and if so, where? And 
 did you ever take a negro soldier prisoner, aifd if so, what did 
 you do with him? I never saw one captured nor one after he 
 was captured. 
 
 General Sherman says "war s hell," and we found race preju 
 dice to be strong there. 
 
 A gallant private soldier, who had won laurels on other fields, 
 just one month after this memorable bloody day, was captured 
 and held a prisoner of war, and kept in the pens where private 
 soldiers suffered. This private soldier belonged to the Third 
 Virginia cavalry, although at one time he was colonel, and at 
 another a brigadier- general in the United States Army, and is 
 now engaged in dispensing justice through a judicial quill to our 
 friends, the enemy, in New York. 
 
 Listen while I read letters from General C. M. Wilcox, C. 
 S. A., to General Grant, U. S. A., and from General Meade to 
 General Wilcox in reply about this distinguished man : 
 
 Headquarters Wilcox s Division, 
 
 November 29, 1864. 
 Lieut.-Gen. U. 8. Grant, Commanding Armies of the United States. 
 
 Sir : I take the liberty of writing to you with reference to an incident 
 that occurred between the picket lines of the two armies on Sunday, the 
 27th iust., about 2 p. in., and after my explanation of the affair, I trust the 
 request may be granted, believing that my statement will be confirmed by 
 the reports of the officers and men of my command. 
 
 The affair that I refer to is the capture of Private Roger A. Pryor, Third 
 Virginia Cavalry, on the 27th inst, by the pickets of the troops under your 
 command, and under the following circumstances, viz: At the time men 
 tioned, the soldier rode up to our picket line, and looked for awhile at the 
 opposite line through his glass, then dismounted from his horse, and taking 
 from his pocket a newspaper, waved it toward a group of Federal officers. 
 One of these responded to this with a paper in a similar manner, and the 
 two mutually approached for the exchange of papers. Private Pryor asked 
 the pickets on our side not to fire. Upon meeting each other they shook 
 hands and exchanged papers. The Federal officer then seized Pryor by the 
 arm and led him off to the rear. Upon reaching the line in the rear a crowd 
 gathers around them and seemed to regard him as a prisoner, and since 
 then he has not been seen. I feel much interest in the case of this young 
 soldier, but cannot ask of our commander of our forces to intercede for him, 
 as it is against his positive orders to exchange papers with the Federals, 
 and doubtless like orders from yourself. It is, however, well known that 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 365 
 
 papers are exchanged, and, as above indicated, when not actually engaged 
 in deadly strife, men from both armies are anxious and willing, and very 
 naturally so, to hold communication and exchange papers. This soldier is, 
 I believe, thoroughly imbued with a sentiment of honor, and could have 
 approached your lines without sinister purpose, and though at this time 
 a private in the ranks from choice, has been both a colonel and brigadier- 
 general in our army, and filled both grades with credit to himself. 
 
 Should my statement be corroborated by that of your officers, I believe 
 this man s case will be favorably regarded by you, and that he will soon 
 be returned to our lines, to his friends and family. 
 
 I am with high respect, very truly, etc. C. M. WILCOX, 
 
 Major-General, C. S. A. 
 
 The next day General Wilcox received this answer : 
 
 Major-General C. M. Wilcox, C. S. Army: 
 
 Your letter of the 28th inst. has been referred to me by Lieuteuant- 
 General U. S. Grant, with directions to reply to it. I regret extremely that 
 it is not within my power to accede to your request by returning to your 
 lines Private R. A. Pryor, Third Virginia Cavalry. The same considera 
 tions which prevented you from applying to your commanding general pre 
 cludes me from sanctioning this irregular intercourse between the opposing 
 pickets, which is in direct violation of my orders, and for violating which 
 and thus permitting himself to be captured in a similar manner, I recently 
 dismissed Captain Burrage of Massachusetts regiment. Private Pryor will 
 have to suffer the consequence of his imprudence. He will be held as pris 
 oner of war and with all consideration due his position. 
 
 I remain, General, with great respect, etc. 
 
 GEORGE G. MEADE, 
 Major-General Commanding. 
 
 On the 28th of October, 1864, General Hancock sent over to the 
 Confederates a flag of truce to be allowed to bury his dead. The 
 men on both sides had become accustomed to see each other suffer 
 and die, and the men in blue who were detailed to perform these 
 last sad rites were callous and easily contented themselves with 
 shallow graves for their dead comrades, and after the first rain 
 that fell on these narrow holes in the earth, you could see an arm 
 showing here or a foot in the open there, &c. 
 
 Now the grave diggers they had 
 
 "Gone, and there was not a gleam of them, 
 
 Gone, and we could only dream of them, 
 
 Gone into the night of the nevermore" 
 
 as far as their dead were concerned. 
 
366 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 November nights in Virginia are chilly, and our men being 
 thinly clad, and shoes and blankets were not to be had, they 
 were forced from necessity to see that there ould be no harm 
 in uncovering these above-mentioned graves and get the blankets, 
 shoes, hats and pants that could not be of any further service 
 only to keep those of us from suffering who were fortunate 
 enough to get them. I take the following from Colonel A. C. 
 Haskell s address, delivered in Spartanburg May 10, 1897. In 
 speaking of Confederate soldiers, take them as depicted by the 
 enemy in "Recollections of a Private Soldier of the Army of the 
 Potomac," as his line lay before our Avorks in the summer of 
 1864 awaiting the order for the attack: "Every man in the 
 Second Army corps knew," says he, "that not many miles away 
 that the columns of the Army of Northern Virginia were march 
 ing furiously to save Petersburg and Richmond and the Confed 
 eracy. We could almost see those veteran troops lean, squalid, 
 and hungry and battle-torn, with set jaws and anxious-looking 
 eyes striding rapidly through the dust, pouring over bridges, 
 crowding through streets of villages and ever hurrying to face 
 us, and we knew that once they got behind the works in our 
 front we could not drive them out." 
 
 In General B. F. Butler s book is another testimonial to the 
 physical suffering of the "men in gray." In discussing the treat 
 ment of prisoners under the non-exchange policy enforced by the 
 Federal authorities, he writes: "I feel bound to say that from 
 careful examination of the subject, I do not believe that either the 
 people or the higher authorities of the Confederacy were in so 
 great a degree responsible as they have been accused. In the matter 
 of starvation it is incontestable that a soldier of our army would 
 have quite starved on the rations which in the latter days of the 
 war were served out to the Confederate soldier before Peters 
 burg. I examined the haversacks of prisoners, and found therein 
 as their rations of three days scarcely more than a pint of kernels 
 of corn, none of which were broken, but only parched to black 
 ness by the fire, and a piece of meat, most frequently raw bacon, 
 some three inches long by an inch and a half wide and less than 
 half an inch thick. Now, no Northern soldier could have lived 
 three days upon that, and the lank, emaciated condition of the 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 367 
 
 prisoner fully testified to the meagreness of his means of subsis 
 tence." 
 
 With regard to clothing he goes on to say: 
 
 "It was simply impossible for the Confederates at that time 
 and for many months preceding to have sufficient clothing upon 
 the bodies of their soldiers, and many passed the winter barefoot." 
 
 "These were men 
 Whom power could not corrupt, 
 Whom death could not terrify, 
 Whom defeat could not dishonor ; 
 And let their virtues plead 
 For just judgment 
 Of the cause in which they perished." 
 
 Major Hart makes a statement which I hereto attach, with 
 many thanks to this gallant old hero : 
 
 Yorkville, S. C., September 2, 1897. 
 
 My Dear Mr. Brooks: I would like, of all things, to be present at the 
 reading of your paper tomorrow night, on the Battle of Burgesse s Mill. 
 My interest is something more than of a participant, for I left a leg there 
 on that early morning fight. I have no doubt your paper will be filed as 
 a part of the history of the battle, and as I participated in a corner of it 
 away from general observation, I give you my story. 
 
 My battery was on a plank road near Wilson s House, when firing was 
 heard at daylight that morning in the direction of Armstrong s Mill. 
 "Boots and Saddles" sounded at once, and battery was put in motion for 
 the firing. Met a courier from Hampton, saying: "Bring your guns to 
 Armstrong s Mill at once; enemy attacked in heavy force." Reaching the 
 Quaker road, where my road crossed it at school house (near saw mill) 
 some cavalry came in stampeded, from the direction of Stoney Creek, say 
 ing that the enemy had broken our lines, and a heavy force of cavalry was 
 moving up that road and w r ould be there, closing Hampton s outlet from 
 Armstrong s and capture his trains packed at the school house. I took two 
 guns and went at a gallop to Gravelly Run and swamp three-fourths (or 
 perhaps half a mile) south on the Quaker road, and sent remaining guns 
 to Hampton with message of what I had done. Major T. B. Barker was 
 at the cross roads, and I asked him to send everything he could find as 
 supports. Captain M. J. Hough, of the Sixth Cavalry, brought his com 
 pany, and some dismounted cavalry also were brought in, and with these 
 I protected my flanks ; the guns held the bridge until Hampton had retired 
 from Hatcher s Run and the trains had got away. 
 
 I think Gregg s cavalry division must have been held here from two to 
 three hours, for I moved out before sunrise, and it was 12 o clock before he 
 
368 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 got to the Cross Roads at Dabney s Mill. Young s brigade came in behind 
 my guns and enabled me to get away. See General Gregg s report, War 
 Records, Vol. 42, part I ; also Colonel C. H. Smith, Commanding Gregg s 
 First Brigade, same volume. They both lie like dogs when they say they 
 charged and carried the position, and that it was held by a "large force." 
 I don t think I had over 125 men, all told, during the fight, and with 
 Young s help the guns were retired when the end was accomplished for 
 which I carried them there. I was shot just before they were withdrawn. 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 JAS. F. HART. 
 
 In August, 1864, our infantry was in the trenches of Peters 
 burg, and with so much practice the men on both sides had be 
 come excellent marksmen with artillery as well as with small 
 arms. So expert were our friends, the enemy, with big guns that 
 they could throw a shell with almost as much accuracy as an 
 expert pitcher in a baseball team, and when mortar shells were 
 thrown up into the air they w r ould frequently fall behind our 
 breastworks and burst, killing three or four men the fuse was 
 arranged so that it was seldom the shell did not explode the very 
 second it touched the ground. One day one of these life-destroy 
 ers fell behind the breastworks right between the feet of a gal 
 lant young soldier 17 years old, and instead of running to save 
 himself and letting his comrades die, as quick as thought he 
 pitched it over the breastworks and it exploded before it touched 
 the ground. The brave boy who performed this heroic deed 
 belonged to the First South Carolina Volunteers, Jenkins brig 
 ade, which regiment was commanded by the youngest colonel in 
 either army, and who was only 19 years of age. How touching 
 the scene was when the bpy colonel complimented the boy shell- 
 pitcher before the whole regiment for this deed. This was wit 
 nessed by First Lieutenant J. R. Best and Lieutenant J. R. Bryan 
 of Company E, Fifth South Carolina Volunteers. This gallant 
 young boy, Colonel James Hagood, who survived the war and 
 was killed in a railroad accident just after the surrender, and the 
 gallant young shell-pitcher is none other than Colonel F. M. 
 Mixon of our city. A report of this incident was made to General 
 Lee and so impressed was he that this is what he wrote about the 
 boy colonel after the railroad accident occurred: 
 
 "It gives me much pleasure to state that Colonel J. R. Hagood, during 
 the whole time of his connection with the Army of Northern Virginia, was 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 conspicuous for gallantry, efficiency and good conduct. By his merit, con 
 stantly exhibited, he rose from a private in his regiment to its command, 
 and showed by his actions that he was worthy of the position. 
 
 (Signed) "R. E. LEE, 
 "Lexington, Va., March 25, 1868." 
 
 "But their memories e er shall remain for us, 
 And their names, bright names, without stain for us, 
 The glory they won shall not wane for us, 
 
 In legend and lay 
 
 Our heroes in gray 
 Shall forever live over again for us." 
 
 24 B. c. 
 
370 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 "KIT GOODWYN," COLORED 
 
 When the "Hampton Legion" was encamped near "Valle 
 Cmcis" many a man arranged it so that family servants were 
 permitted to attach themselves to the entourage of "headquarters" 
 or mess organization. These colored boys followed the column 
 on many desperate marches, riding in easy touch of the young 
 masters, who with inordinate pride wore the gray. The relations 
 of master and man were ofttimes touching, touching to a degree 
 when with tender care they prepared the young master for burial. 
 
 "Kit Goodwyn" was a follower in an humble way of all the 
 "Hamptons" in the eventful period of 1861-1865, especially Gen 
 eral Wade, and Colonel Frank Hampton. When on that eventful 
 day at Brandy Station, Frank Hampton fell covering a splendid 
 retreat, with masses of men crowding, but contesting inch by inch 
 the ground to be covered. There was in the death of Colonel 
 Hampton something which recalled the last moments of a "Cru 
 sader," for in bearing, in courage, and in deportment he reminded 
 me ever of Scott s "Talisman," and "Sir Kenneth" personified in 
 Frank Hampton. 
 
 Kit Goodwyn loved "Mass Wade" (General Hampton) ; he 
 simply adored "The Colonel," "Mass Frank," and Kit has felt all 
 the days of his life that with Hampton, Preston and Manning the 
 latch-string hangs within easy reach. 
 
 Kit keeps alive the memories of former days, and almost any 
 Saturday, should one exert himself and in an idle moment visit 
 "Trinity churchyard," Kit could be found dusting and cleaning 
 the tombs of former army friends, playmates, and young masters, 
 if you choose. Kit and the sound of bullets and of screeching 
 shells were familiar friends, and with gentle hands and on 
 bended knee he helped sooth the last moments of a master, no less 
 than friend. In that one moment he prayed as you and I would 
 have done, comrade, for a playmate, schoolmate, or friend he 
 prayed for one loved by him, with the same tenderness that you 
 and I prayed for our three. 
 
 Now, one day I witnessed the heart of Kit Goodwyn bowed 
 down. "Burgess s Mill," October 27th, 1864, was a terrific engage- 
 
WADE H. MANNING 
 
372 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 ment, and after a terrible struggle, Preston Hampton went to his 
 death rendering duty to his father as aide-de-gamp, and Major 
 Wade Hampton, A. D. C. General Joseph E. Johnston, but that 
 day a volunteer aide to his father, received a terrible wound. It 
 was about 4 p. m. when Wade and Preston fell, the enemy were 
 pressing. At this juncture General M. C. Butler ordered Major 
 Theo. G. Barker to order Major T. B. Ferguson to "move forward 
 and charge his front." At this instant General M. C. Butler 
 directed his personal courier, U. R. Brooks, to order Colonel 
 R. B. Jeffords to advance his regiment, and the gallant Fifth 
 moved forward together with the Sixth. It was then that Jeffords 
 fell, a bullet penetrating the brain. 
 
 A spell fell over the field that day, but under orders U. R. 
 Brooks rode forward, and reporting to General Hampton that 
 Major Barker was desperately wounded, Colonel Jeffords killed, 
 Preston and Wade, one dead on the field of battle, the other sorely 
 wounded, bore testimony to the courage and endurance of Caro 
 linians on battlefields of the South, from Sumter to Virginia, and 
 Carolinians first, last and all the time for the "Confederacy." 
 
 This is mere tribute to the "Orderly" and "Courier" life of 
 South Carolina s chieftains. Hampton and Butler dead, both 
 loved Carolina. Soon it may be that over the sunset of our 
 glorious Southern sky there, across the "Old Congaree," one of 
 the gallant men who fought to the finish, joined Hampton, and 
 as the two in fearful days maintained the honor of the State, so 
 as they have passed away they leave only the memories of the 
 past, "dear as remembered kisses after death." 
 
 WADE HAMPTON MANNING, 
 Orderly Wade Hampton, 
 
 Charleston Light Dragoons, 
 Troop "K," Fourth S. C. Cavalry. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 373 
 
 CONTRIBUTION FROM A YANKEE SCOUT 
 
 By invitation of Colonel U. R. Brooks, of Columbia, S. C., that 
 gallant and knightly Southern gentleman whose record in the 
 Confederate Army is second to none, the writer proposes to give 
 here a little incident of the war which may be of interest to some 
 of the readers of Colonel Brooks s priceless volume. It is hardly 
 necessary, at the outset, to say that these lines are penned by what 
 not a few Southerners would rather ironically term a "Yankee 
 soldier." He was but a youth of seventeen when he enlisted in 
 the Thirty-fourth Ohio Infantry Regiment, recruited in Cincin 
 nati, the place of his birth, and who will not be charged with 
 boasting when he tells you that he served with his regiment con 
 tinuously from July 25th, 1861, to July 25th, 1865, and in these 
 four eventful years participated in forty-two engagements, big 
 and little, and who, in one of the battles in and around Win 
 chester, Va., was struck in the right shoulder by a Confederate 
 bullet. 
 
 Well, this is sufficient for identification, and now for the remin 
 iscence, simple as it is. It was in the beautiful valley of the 
 Shenandoah that slaughter house of brave men on either side. 
 General Crook, commanding the Army of Western Virginia, as 
 it was then called, was marching with a small detachment in the 
 neighborhood of Callahan s Stand. The general was followed by 
 his staff, orderlies and headquarters clerks, and was preceded by 
 a part of a troop of "Blazer s Scouts," a famous organization of 
 Union backwoodsmen who were of invaluable service to the 
 Federal army. The writer, then but an humble clerk detailed for 
 duty with Crook s headquarters, asked and received permission to 
 detach himself from the general and staff, and join the scouts. 
 This he did in a few minutes. Not notifying Captain Blazer of 
 this addition to his force, he rather modestly tacked himself on 
 to the rear of the "Scouts," and tried to act as though, in truth, he 
 was one of them. No objection to his presence being manifested, 
 the cavalcade, with its new recruit, marched on. All were 
 superbly mounted and ready for a fight or a foot race. We had 
 gone perhaps a mile from where the new "scout" had joined his 
 
374 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 comrades when in an abrupt bend of the splendid Virginia road 
 which ran beside a clear and limpid stream, we very unexpectedly 
 were confronted by a body of horsemen, who were, no doubt, as 
 much surprised as we were. Surprise on both sides was manifest 
 in a quick drawing of reins, which brought our horses onto their 
 haunches. We were so amazed (both sides, for it need hardly 
 be said that the other fellows were "Johnny Rebs,") that a 
 moment or two elapsed before there was the least hostile demon 
 stration by either Confederate or "Yank." But finally some 
 trooper on our side, with more presence of mind than his com 
 rades, blazed aw^ay with his carbine. It afterwards developed 
 that his aim was bad, for no one was hit. The next instant the 
 popping of guns became lively. But the Confederates, seeing, 
 perhaps, that we had the advantage in numbers, suddenly and 
 dexterously wheeled to the right about, and left us in possession 
 of the "field." And then began such a Dick Turpin ride as per 
 haps has never been excelled. The Southern horses were fleet of 
 foot, and they soon left the scouts far in the rear. But finally 
 the Yanks and their steeds became warmed up, and we made some 
 gain. But on we flew, pursuing and pursued, in such a mad 
 scamper on a straight and beautiful road as would have delighted 
 the heart of a race-track fiend. Finally some of the boys in gray, 
 whose mounts could no longer stand the strain, leaped from their 
 saddles and took to the woods. Some of our men, too, were left 
 in the lurch by the stumbling of their jaded horses, and a half- 
 dozen of them were invalided to the field hospital for weeks. At 
 the round-up, which was fast approaching, not half the number 
 on either side were "present for duty." And when we got close 
 enough to have the least chance of doing any execution with our 
 carbines and pistols the small remnant of the pursued were few 
 indeed. 
 
 Just as they ascended a slight elevation, the "scouts" in the 
 advance began to blaze away with might and main, and it was 
 soon noticed that a Confederate had calmly dismounted, leaving 
 his winded steed in the middle of the road, and as coolly as if on 
 parade had made his way to a fence on the right-hand side of 
 the road, and there awaited the arrival of his enemies. The 
 writer glanced at this elegant and soldierly officer, as he went 
 sweeping past him, but did not even think of taking him prisoner. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-186,5. 375 
 
 He did not see him until months afterwards, when this same 
 officer fell into our hands again at another one of the many 
 engagements around historic old Winchester. 
 
 Now, who was this gallant and soldierly man, dressed in the 
 full regalia of a brigadier-general C. S. A.? None other than 
 General Rosser, as knightly a horseman as ever wore a sword. 
 
 But a word or so remains. The writer still followed the little 
 band of scouts, and within perhaps a hundred yards of where 
 he passed General Rosser, he rode up on the right side of this 
 horse standing in the road, and was attracted by an elegant pistol- 
 holster on the saddle. Here was something that would at once 
 attract the attention of the average trooper, and in his eagerness 
 to get the contents (if any) of that holster, he became excited, 
 and in the flurry he pulled the trigger of his own pistol and shot 
 the poor horse ( Rosser s horse) in the neck. He need not tell you 
 that he has been ashamed of it ever since, although it was but an 
 accident. However, he snatched out the pistol, all the same, and 
 for years afterwards kept the splendid weapon as a reminder of 
 an engagement in which he did not exactly cover himself with 
 glory. But the worst of it was, before the "scout" recruit had 
 time to ride around to the other side of the poor beast, another 
 fellow, a real scout, dashed up and got the other pistol. 
 
 This is a poor story, poorly told, but here it is all the same. 
 
 MORTON L. HAWKINS. 
 
 General Sheridan wrote to General Augur, 2 August, 1864: 
 
 "I have 100 men who will take the contract to clean out Mosby s 
 gang. I want 100 Spencer rifles for them. Send them to me if 
 they can be found in Washington." 
 
 It was now evident that Mosby s men and Blazer s men could 
 not occupy the same section of country ; one or the other must go, 
 and which one was a question to be settled by one decisive battle. 
 
 Captain Richard Blazer s command was composed of picked 
 men from General Crook s division, were mostly from Ohio and 
 West Virginia. 
 
 After the disastrous affair at Myer s Ford (as described by 
 General Hawkins), where our First squadron was so badly used 
 up by Blazer, the men were anxious to wipe out the stain which 
 
376 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 they felt marred their fair fame. The cutting words used by 
 Mosby, when he heard of the defeat of his old Company A, still 
 rang in their ears: "You let the Yankees whip you? I will get 
 hoopskirts for you. I ll send you into the first Yankee regiment 
 we come across." 
 
 At last the opportunity was given them to win back their lost 
 laurels. On the 18th of November, 1864, Mosby s men, Companies 
 A and B, had exactly 110 men, and Blazer s scouts numbered 
 105 men. At Kabletown, Va., Blazer s men used their carbines at 
 first, until we got fairly among them, when they drew their 
 revolvers. They fought desperately, but our men pressed on, broke 
 them and finally drove them from the field. The road for a dis 
 tance of several miles bore evidence of the deadly conflict, as well 
 as the discomfiture of the Federals. Blazer used every endeavor 
 to rally his flying followers, but seeing the utter destruction of his 
 command, and being well mounted, he endeavored to escape. 
 Onward he dashed, steadily increasing the distance between him 
 self and most of his pursuers, but a young man named Ferguson, 
 mounted on his fleet mare "Fashion," followed close on Blazer s 
 heels. After emptying his pistol without being able to hit or halt 
 the fugitive, he drove spurs into his horse and urging her along 
 side the captain dealt him a blow with his pistol which knocked 
 him from his horse and landed him in a fence corner. 
 
 "Boys," said Blazer, when able to speak, "you have whipped us 
 fairly. All I ask is that you treat us well." His wounded head 
 was tied up with a handkerchief, and he soon appeared somewhat 
 reconciled to his fate. 
 
 Twenty-one Federals w#re killed, a large number wounded, 
 many mortally, and twenty-two prisoners taken. Fifty horses, 
 with their equipments, were captured. 
 
 Rev. Sydnor G. Ferguson is now a Methodist minister of Fred- 
 ericksburg, Va. 
 
 After his release from prison, Blazer returned to his regiment, 
 the Ninety-first Ohio. After the war he lived at Gallipolis, Ohio, 
 until 1878, when he contracted yellow fever from the victims of 
 the- ill-fated steamer "John Porter," and died. 
 
 [The above is taken from the "History of Mosby s Command," 
 by James J. Williamson of Co. A. U. R. Brooks.] 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 377 
 
 W. L. MAULDIN OF GREENVILLE 
 
 The new president pro tempore of the senate has had many 
 honors in State affairs, showing the confidence reposed in him by 
 his fellow citizens. As lieutenant-governor he presided over the 
 State senate when the Act was passed creating Clemson College. 
 A biographer says of him : 
 
 "William L. Mauldin was born at Greenville, on June 13, 1845. 
 He is the son of Samuel and Carolina A. (McHardy) Mauldin, 
 
 and both of his parental grand 
 sires served in the Colonial 
 Army throughout the Revolu 
 tionary War. He was educated 
 chiefly at Colonel Stephen Lee s 
 academy, at Asheville, N. C., 
 and at Furman University, in 
 Greenville. When he was six 
 teen years of age he left his 
 home, November, 1861, to join 
 the army, enlisting as a member 
 of Company A, of the Sixteenth 
 Regiment of the South Carolina 
 Infantry, and on the 19th of 
 November, 1861, he left Green 
 ville with his regiment for 
 Charleston. He served in the 
 regiment for twelve months, 
 after which he returned home, but in July, 1863, he entered the 
 Second Cavalry of South Carolina, with which he served until 
 the close of the war. 
 
 "He was engaged in all the battles in which his regiment took 
 part and discharged his duties in a brave and soldierly manner, 
 as became a loyal citizen of the State. At the close of the war 
 he returned to Greenville and engaged in the drug business. 
 Since retiring from the drug business Senator Mauldin has 
 devoted himself to his farming interests and the political affairs 
 of the day. He was president of the Greenville and Laurens rail- 
 
 LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOB W. L. MAULDIN 
 
378 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 road until the same was consolidated, he having aided in the 
 building of this road. Among his political offices he can count as 
 many as any citizen of the State today. In 18T4 he was chosen 
 member of the board of aldermen of the City of Greenville and 
 was reflected to that body in 1875. In 1877 he was elected mayor 
 of the city, serving in that capacity for one term. From 1878 
 until 1886 he was chairman of the Democratic County Central 
 Committee. He was elected to the lower branch of the State 
 legislature in 1882, and in 1884 he became a member of the senate. 
 This office he resigned to accept that of lieutenant-governor, to 
 which he was elected in 1886. He was reflected in 1888, his term 
 closing in 1890, in December." 
 
PHIL HUTCHINSON 
 J. G. HOLMES 
 
 W. W. RUSSELL 
 
 W. G1LMORE SIMMS 
 
380 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 "DISMOUNTED BATTALION, BUTLER S CAV 
 ALRY BRIGADE" 
 
 The mid-summer campaign of 1864, in which Major-General 
 Wade Hampton (later lieutenant-general) signally defeated 
 Sheridan s picked command of some 8,000 cavalry of the Army of 
 the Potomac, with only 5,000 indifferently armed cavalry of the 
 Army of Northern Virginia, was not only hard upon the men, 
 but peculiarly hard upon the horses; and many hundred horses 
 of Hampton s command were unfit for service after Sheridan had 
 been driven to the protection of the gunboats at the White House 
 on the York Eiver. The horses of Butler s cavalry brigade that 
 could travel, but were unfit for service, were ordered to the re 
 cruiting camp (more correctly dubbed by the men "the dead 
 line"), near Dover s Mill on the James Eiver, twenty miles above 
 Richmond. 
 
 Early in July the dismounted men were sent to Richmond by 
 canal boat (a delightful night s travel for tired campaigners), 
 and thence by rail to Stoney Creek, ten or more miles south of 
 Petersburg. 
 
 The writer found himself one of 300 to 500 dismounted men 
 from the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth regiments, South Carolina 
 cavalry, composing Butler s Cavalry brigade, under command 
 of Lieutenant Robert Aldrich, the adjutant of the Sixth 
 regiment. By education a military man, just of age, the writer 
 asked his old class-mate (of some four years of cadetship at 
 "King s Mountain Military School" at Yorkville, S. C., under 
 such disciplinarians as later General Micah Jenkins and Colonel 
 Asbury Coward; and then of the South Carolina Military 
 Academy), why he didn t organize "the mob?" as they couldn t 
 be even rationed, much less drilled and fought as they were. 
 "Bob" Aldrich, easy-going and good-natured, replied, "Organize 
 them yourself," and I answered, "I will if you will write me an 
 order to do so," and presto: he did, and this was the genesis of 
 the "Dismounted Battalion, Butler s Cavalry Brigade," called by 
 the mounted men of the brigade "The Stud Horse Battalion." 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 381 
 
 All of the men of the Fourth regiment were put in a company 
 and Private B. Miller of F Troop (Cadet Rangers), Sixth regi 
 ment, assigned to its command as "acting captain." The men of 
 the Fifth were in another company with Sergeant Dowling (?) 
 of the same regiment, in command as "acting captain;" and the 
 company composed of the men of the Sixth regiment was com 
 manded by ex-Cadet J. F. Hook, F Troop, Fifth regiment, thus 
 forming a battalion of three companies, with private James G. 
 Holmes, an ex-cadet also of F Troop, Sixth regiment, acting 
 adjutant. Lieutenant Aldrich was soon relieved of the command 
 of the battalion by Lieutenant Foster of the Fifth Regiment, and 
 he in turn by other lieutenants; and then by Major Munnerlyn 
 of the Fifth, and Major T. B. Ferguson of the Sixth, who fought 
 the battle gallantly on the 23rd of August at Gravely Run, and 
 still later Lieu tenant- Colonel Edwards of the Fifth took com 
 mand and retained it until the battalion was disbanded in Co 
 lumbia, S. C., the following February ; the men being ordered to 
 their companies in the hopes of remounting them. Adjutant 
 James G. Holmes was the only officer, commissioned or acting, 
 who ever drilled the men of the battalion, and as a military man 
 by education, practically commanded the battalion most of the 
 six months of its existence. The battalion did good service, and 
 as it had to keep in touch with the mounted command, did some 
 hard marching. General Butler, under whose immediate notice 
 the battalion deployed, after a mile and a half at the double 
 quick to reach the battlefield of Gravely Run, August 23rd, com 
 mended the battalion for its gallantry, as did also Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Barden, of the Thirteenth Georgia infantry, who com 
 manded the dismounted men of both Butler s and Young s brig 
 ades in said fight, the regular commander, Captain Henry Far 
 ley, being absent on sick leave. 
 
 When Columbia, S. C., was evacuated, the battalion was again 
 organized with Lieu tenant- Colonel Trapier of the regular C. S. A. 
 in command, and Adjutant Holmes again at his post. On reach 
 ing Charlotte, N. C., the men were remounted and reported to 
 their companies, except Adjutant Holmes, who was assigned to 
 the staff of Brigadier-General E. M. Law, commanding the re 
 mounts of both Butler s and Young s brigades, until the cavalry 
 under General Hampton was overtaken, the night before Kil- 
 
382 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Patrick s camp, near Fayetteville, N. C., was attacked. General 
 Law then commanded Butler s brigade, until General Logan, who 
 had just been commissioned for the position, look command of 
 the brigade on the battlefield the second morning of Bentonville s 
 three days fight; the first day only the cavalry was engaged in 
 an all-day skirmish, off and on, as usual for eighteen days and 
 until the armistice that led to the surrender of Johnson s army. 
 
 The above, in brief, is the history of the "Dismounted Battalion, 
 Butler s Cavalry Brigade." JAMES G. HOLMES, 
 
 First and Only Adjutant. 
 
 Macon, Ga., October 12, 07. 
 
 Lansford, S. C., July 20, 1908. 
 
 My Dear Colonel: I have just finished reading your graphic 
 account of the 27th of October, 1864, fight. I read and wept, and 
 wept and read, and wondered how you got up so accurate and 
 detailed account of a game played nearly forty-five years ago, 
 but you failed to say a word of what was going on north of the 
 Creek. Do you remember that all the dismounted men of the 
 Sixth, amounting to about eighty men, were put under me, and I 
 was in camp north of Hatches Run, just below Burgess s Mill, on 
 the 27th of October, 1864, and about sunrise I received orders 
 from a courier to double quick down said Run to a line of breast 
 works, and when I got there the scouts were being driven in, and 
 I hurriedly covered the works men five paces apart and beat 
 back column after column /of the enemy? For three long hours 
 my gallant band held the works against perhaps 20 to 1. For all 
 this time I never saw an officer or received an order, and I believe 
 had they run over my little band the enemy would have flanked 
 your left and got between Hampton and Petersburg. At last, 
 w^hen I had almost despaired, I looked up towards Petersburg and 
 saw an old Confederate flag floating in the breeze and beneath it 
 a thousand true and tried Tar Heels, Cook s brigade, then next 
 Barksdale s brigade. We received the compliments of these 
 troops, who said we were the best cavalry they had ever met. 
 General Hampton came over next morning and counted fifteen 
 dead Yankees in one bunch. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 383 
 
 I write the foregoing to vindicate my little band, as no mention 
 has ever been made of this incident. At a reunion at Monroe last 
 year I met some of the men that came to my relief, and that same 
 old flag was presented to me that I saw that day 27th of 
 October, 1864. I could not refrain from kissing its folds. I wish 
 this could have been woven in your description of the fight. 
 Wishing you success in your work, I am, 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 J. M. HOUGH. 
 
 Saluda, N. C., July 25th, 1908. 
 Colonel U. R. Brooks, Columbia, S. C. 
 
 Dear Comrade: In your last chapter to the Sunday News, 
 you spoke of the gallant act of Colonel F. M. Mixson, in casting a 
 shell over the breastworks. There died recently near Aiken, a 
 true and tried old veteran of an Edgefield company, in the 
 Seventh South Carolina Infantry, Kershaw s Brigade, who did 
 the same brave act. While in the breastworks at the battle of 
 Fredericksburg, squatting down, a shell fell between him and 
 another, cutting off the coattail of the latter who jumped up 
 and ran. Joseph Willing grasped the fizzing bomb and threw it 
 on the other side of the works. It fell among the numerous dead 
 of Meagher s Irish Brigade, and exploded, throwing several 
 bodies of them in the air. He was a fitting companion of the 
 brave young soldier of the same brigade who gave water to the 
 dying Federals between the lines. 
 
 With best wishes, I am, 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 B. H. TEAGUE. 
 
384 BUTLER AND His CAVALKY, 1861-1865. 
 
 AT WELDON, NORTH CAROLINA 
 
 After the battle of Reams Station on the 25th August, and the 
 battle of Burgess s Mill on the 27th October, 1864, the next most 
 formidable movement made by General Grant to cut General 
 Lee s communications was when he sent Gregg s division of 
 cavalry and the Fifth Army Corps under General Warren, of the 
 Army of the Potomac, to capture Weldon, N. C., sixty miles from 
 Petersburg. Weldon was an important depot of military supplies, 
 so that its capture and destruction would have been a fatal blow 
 to General Lee s army. 
 
 Weldon in those days was a very tough place, and was spoken 
 of by the soldiers as "Hell s half acre," and they had it down 
 about right. Like all railroad junction points in such troublous 
 times it was a rendezvous for all sorts of people, but still was an 
 extremely important depot for army supplies. General Warren 
 bore the reputation, on our side of the line, as one of the most 
 accomplished, capable soldiers in General Grant s army. In pass 
 ing let me say, it was this same General Warren who was relieved 
 of his command in the face of the Confederates at or near Five 
 Forks, outside of Petersburg, by General Sheridan, and sent to the 
 rear. Warren had the reputation of being not only a fine soldier, 
 but a most cultivated, refined gentleman, belonging to the family 
 of Warrens, of Massachusetts, who, I believe, w r ere always promi 
 nent in the social and political life of that State. 
 
 Sheridan, on the other hand, was "a little, abrupt and brusque 
 man," so his men said when some of them were captured, without 
 the civilizing advantages of early training, and the gossip of the 
 times was that Sheridan s action in disgracing Warren was 
 largely inspired by jealousy. Warren is said to have died soon 
 after the war with a broken heart. 
 
 There is no discounting the fact that Sheridan was one of the 
 very ablest soldiers produced by the other side during the war. 
 Of course I do not vouch for the correctness and accuracy of the 
 above criticism of Warren and Sheridan ; I give it as it came to 
 me after the war, and I venture the opinion that there are a great 
 many grains of truth in it. But coming back to our narrative. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 385 
 
 Warren started out from Grant s lines early in the morning of 
 the 7th day of December, 1864, as we have said, for the purpose 
 of capturing Weldon and destroying it as a depot of supplies for 
 General Lee s army. It was reported at the time that his corps 
 consisted of at least 34,000 men. (See War Eecords.) 
 
 Early on the morning of the 7th, Captain Jim Butler was 
 riding by my side and we happened to be in front when a Yankee 
 scout started across the road about fifty yards ahead of us. Cap 
 tain Butler did not say, "Halt, surrender," but merely said, "Come 
 here to me, sir," which seemed to paralyze him and he came up to 
 us looking like "a poor man at a cash sale." After getting what 
 information we could from him he was sent to Libby Prison. 
 
 General Warren struck the Petersburg and Weldon Kailroad 
 below Stoney Creek, which is twenty miles south of Petersburg. 
 
 General Hampton s plan evidently was, judging from the move 
 ment of his column, to pass to the left of Warren s column and 
 get in his front from that direction. However, that may be, no 
 doubt finding the crossing of the Nottaway River impossible on 
 that side, he withdrew rapidly, passed around Warren s rear, 
 marched all night and got in Warren s front at Bellefield and 
 Hicks ford on the Meherrin River. At Hick s ford we found 
 Lieutenant- Colonel John Garnett with a small detachment in 
 command of a few siege guns in battery commanding the plateau 
 on the north side of the Meherrin River near Bellefield. The 
 day after we reached Hicks ford General Butler was directed to 
 barricade Clark s ford, three miles below Hicks ford. He 
 detailed Captain J. J. Bunch of Company B, Sixth South Caro 
 lina Cavalry, with about 600 men, to do this work. This was on 
 the 9th December, 1864. I remember taking a dispatch that day to 
 General Hampton and passed some of A. P. Hill s infantry, and 
 can never forget how I saw the blood spurt from the feet of his 
 barefooted and ragged soldiers marching over the frozen ground. 
 Captain Bunch spent the entire day with the detachment, cutting 
 trees across the ford, rolling rocks and other obstructions in the 
 river, so that it was very effectually barricaded. And now the 
 sequel, so full of tragic and apparently impossible. 
 
 During the day Warren had pushed the head of his column to 
 the neighborhood of Bellefield; meantime had torn up the rail 
 road for nearly twenty miles towards Stony Creek, burnt the 
 
 25 B. C. 
 
386 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 crossties and twisted the rails into all kinds of shapes. He 
 deployed a heavy line and was moving across the plateau in front 
 of Bellefield, evidently with the purpose of farcing a passage 
 across the Meherrin and making a determined attack on Hicks 
 ford, the horse artillery, batteries of Hart and McGregor aided 
 Garnett s guns, and a strong line of dismvXinted cavalry convinced 
 him that his venture was a desperate one, and after the inter 
 change of civilities, which was rather fierce for a time, Warren 
 apparently came to the conclusion that "prudence was the better 
 part of valor" and begun his retreat to Grant s lines. He did not 
 reach Weldon, his objective point. 
 
 General Butler s division, which consisted of exactly 1,426 men, 
 without unsaddling our horses was bivouacked at and around 
 Hicks ford. General Butler and W. H. F. Lee had their head 
 quarters for the night in a large house in the suburbs of Hicks 
 ford. Of course, we had no tents, not even tent flys. The weather 
 was terrifically cold; it had rained during the early part of the 
 night, followed by a cold northwest wind which converted the 
 rain into a sheet of sleet and ice. The men were old soldiers 
 enough to build big fires, but the poor horses suffered terribly. 
 Icicles were hanging from the saddle blankets and equipments. 
 This was the situation at three o clock that night or morning, 
 when General Butler received orders (it having been known that 
 Warren was making tracks for Grant s lines) to move his division 
 at once to Clark s ford, remove the barricade placed there during 
 the day by Captain Bunch, cross the river and get after Warren. 
 Imagine, if possible, anything more trying and dismal than 
 moving out in that hour in such weather to remove the barriers 
 in the ford we had so thoroughly placed there during the day 
 before to stop Warren, cross to the north side of the Meherrin 
 River and join in the pursuit of the retreating Yankees. 
 
 One of the couriers heard General Butler remark, as they came 
 out of the house to mount, "Well, boys, if we survive this weather 
 and this night, we need not fear the Yankees." As I have said, 
 the wind was blowing a gale from the northwest over sleet and ice. 
 But we had to go. We moved down to Clark s ford, spent the 
 better part of the morning removing large logs, rocks and other 
 impediments and got over about midday and went straight for 
 Warren s retreating Yankees. We took in a large number of 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 387 
 
 prisoners, abandoned wagons, arms and other accoutrements. 
 That portion of Virginia was celebrated for its large stores of 
 apple brandy. A large number of Warren s men got drunk, 
 would first rob and then set fire to private residences occupied by 
 women and children. I suppose it was almost impossible, in the 
 demoralized condition of his troops, for Warren and his officers 
 to prevent it. So our scouts were instructed that when they 
 caught Yankees in the act of robbing and burning to take the 
 vandals by the arms and legs and swing them in the flames, drunk 
 or sober. Such are the terrors of war. 
 
 This drastic form of redress soon got out among the Yanks 
 and had the desired effect. That night, the 10th December, it 
 rained in torrents, so much as it was almost impossible to keep 
 our camp fires going. As we were without tents this situation 
 was not very attractive. That night and next day Warren had 
 made good his escape inside of Grant s lines. 
 
 We returned to Bellefield, where we put up temporary winter 
 quarters of log huts, etc. 
 
 And now comes another interesting phase of this celebrated 
 raid. General Hampton placed General Butler in charge of 
 rebuilding the railroad to Stony Creek. A novel duty for a 
 cavalry officer, but the general went at it with his usual vigor. 
 He put eight hundred or one thousand men in the woods cutting 
 and hauling crossties, clearing of the roadbed, etc. Our friends, 
 the enemy, had not only burnt the crossties, but by heating the 
 rails had twisted them into every conceivable shape; they had 
 to be straightened out by the same heating process. We got about 
 six miles of road rebuilt in about two weeks, and General Butler 
 went over it on the engine. Meantime we had heard of the where 
 abouts of the superintendent, putting him in charge and assisting 
 him in every way possible. The superintendent got General But 
 ler to impress 300 negroes. We put them to work, and from his 
 long experience as a railroad man, he would finish and operate 
 five miles of road while we were reconstructing one mile. At any 
 rate we got the road in condition for transportation a gap of 
 nearly twenty miles in a surprisingly short time when all the 
 difficulties to be overcome are considered, and trains were again 
 running there from Weldon nearly to Petersburg. 
 
388 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Another catastrophe might be interesting in that connection. 
 Warren s soldiers had done their work of destruction very com 
 pletely when an unusual flood of rain came along and reinforced 
 their devilment. When the engineer had prepared the timbers for 
 the bridge across the Xottaway and had some of them in position 
 for the bridge and trestling they w r ere washed away by a flood, 
 the like of which was never seen before by the citizens of that 
 section. More timbers were gotten out and the trestling and 
 bridge completed in a very short time. 
 
 While on this raid General Warren had 34,000 men to A. P. 
 Hill s and Hampton s 16,000 all told. 
 
 A dispatch from General Meade to General Grant, exhibiting 
 some nervousness, adds: "If Warren s men will fight and we 
 have any luck Warren ought to repulse him." 
 
 But Warren was actually repulsed by our cavalry and horse 
 artillery, notwithstanding reinforcements were sent to help him 
 get away. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 389 
 
 SHADBURNE AND THE NEGRO 
 
 BY GEORGE D. SHADBURXE, CHIEF or WADE HAMPTON S SCOUTS. 
 
 It was the winter of 1864-65. The armies of Lee and Grant lay 
 inactive in front of Petersburg and Richmond. Grant had 
 ordered Sheridan to depopulate the Valley of Virginia, and that 
 gallant (?) general, after marching up and down the Shenandoah 
 Valley, driving women and children before him in hunger and 
 want, had left nothing but a blackened wilderness behind him; 
 and then, feeling that he had obeyed his orders to the letter, dis 
 patched to Grant: "I have devastated the valley until a crow 
 flying over it must carry his rations with him." 
 
 Amongst the most obnoxious of the raiders that ran riot in our 
 country at that time was a company of negro cavalry that 
 patrolled the road from City Point to Norfolk. I had long been 
 anxious to get at them ; for if there was anything that Ave hated 
 worse than another, it was a negro soldier. So on the evening of 
 December 22, 1864, we crossed the Blackwater. The day had been 
 one of heavy rains, but toward night the heavens cleared and it 
 became intensely cold. We concealed ourselves as best we could in 
 the woods beneath the banks of the Blackwater and built fires and 
 made ourselves comfortable. Two men were sent to the telegraph 
 road, ten miles distant, to cut the telegraph wires, as we knew 
 that would bring the black rascals out. 
 
 The country through which we passed to reach our objective 
 point was one of treachery and disloyalty. A company of home 
 guards had been formed there, and at the toot of a horn they 
 would assemble, day or night, and there was then certain death 
 to the intruder unless he was too smart for them. Hence any 
 exposure in our movements would have worked our ruin. We 
 remained in our place of concealment until the hour of midnight, 
 then we stole cautiously forth, in single file, leading our horses so 
 as to keep them completely under control, and slowly advanced. 
 The ground by this time was frozen hard, so that we left no 
 traces of our march behind. Thus quietly we passed through this 
 sleeping land of treachery, and at dawn of the 23d we were well 
 
390 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 ensconced in our place of ambush. It was in a heavy wood of 
 "old field pines," the original forest having been denuded many 
 years before. These pines were as thickly studied as their bulk 
 would permit. About ten paces from and above the road we lay 
 safely concealed. Some distance back of us the road crossed a 
 small creek spanned by a wooden bridge. There one of our 
 number was placed, with instructions to fire when the column had 
 passed, unless he heard infantry approaching ; then we in ambush 
 were to fire upon the passing force, rise from concealment, give 
 the Rebel yell, and charge into the open road; then mount our 
 horses and pursue until all the blackguards were killed or cap 
 tured. Our number was sixteen, composed of eleven regular 
 scouts, four Confederates that I picked up for the occasion, and 
 one man in blue, who had come to us by chance. He was a tall, 
 handsome fellow, fully equipped and mounted upon a magnificent 
 horse as black as night, with knightly trappings and a Mexican 
 steel bit, a veritable Bucephalus. He had come to us and 
 requested that we receive him as one of our band, which we did, 
 but kept our eyes on him. 
 
 The regular scouts were Sloan, of North Carolina; Tanner, 
 Smith and Simmonds, of Georgia; Mcllwain and Rife, of Mis 
 sissippi; Waller and Latham, of Alabama; Cleel, of Texas; 
 , of - , and Captain Shadburne, of Texas, 
 
 chief of scouts. 
 
 The day was icy cold, and with great difficulty the men kept 
 above the freezing point; but they were used to such hardships, 
 and did not complain. In order to while away the time and keep 
 the blood in circulation, they told stories, boxed, and jumped up 
 and down, slapping their hands about them, and forgot their 
 hunger, for we had nothing to eat. Our horses were tethered in 
 the woods about one hundred yards in the rear of the rendezvous. 
 
 Slowly the time passed until the hour of two o clock; then we 
 heard the not- far-distant tread of approaching cavalry, and at 
 once every man assumed his proper place, lying upon the ground 
 face downward. The pulse of each scout quickened, his blood 
 coursed freely, and his heart palpitated anxiously at the thought 
 of the coming strife, and he clutched tightly his trusty weapon 
 and uttered a hasty prayer, feeling the premonitory shudder 
 always experienced by the brave soldier just before the shock of 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1805. 391 
 
 battle. On came the unsuspecting foe by twos they rode until 
 they were abreast of us, about fifty in number. We were eagerly 
 ready, every gun was cocked and presented ; all waited anxiously 
 for the signal shot of our man at the bridge. The column passed, 
 and still no shot was fired. Could it be that infantry was coming, 
 and that the woods would be scoured? Such was my second 
 thought, and the moment was ominous; for if such were the 
 position, all would be lost. Then the signal shot was fired. Our 
 man had waited for the rear guard to pass. The enemy was 
 beyond our reach, and our only hope was to mount and charge. 
 This was ordered, and every man hastened to his horse, but all 
 did not charge ; the four volunteers remained behind. The eleven 
 and our friend in blue bore down upon the sable foe, who stood 
 his ground and poured toward us a galling fire. Then I com 
 manded "Major Jones," with his "battalion," to flank to the left. 
 Simultaneously five of my men diverged in the woods to the left, 
 and all charged gallantly forward and reformed not twenty paces 
 from the foe. Then the Rebel yell was sounded, and right into 
 their ranks we dashed, pouring a deadly volley into their very 
 faces. A moment more and the enemy broke and fled wildly, the 
 scouts keeping in hot pursuit. On they ran, and the rout was 
 complete. As each scout overtook a negro, he sounded his death 
 knell and continued on. Thus for six miles we pursued them, 
 when no longer was there a negro in sight, and the day was won. 
 With one long-continued Rebel yell we wheeled about and pur 
 sued the backward march. 
 
 In counting our losses and the results of victory, we found that 
 we had lost our friend in blue. He, at the first onslaught, when 
 the charge was sounded, dashed madly to the front, firing as he 
 went, and never stopped until in the very midst of the enemy, 
 where his body was literally riddled with bullets. Poor fellow, 
 he was a brave man, even though a deserter. He fills a nameless 
 grave like many another of that cruel war. This was our only 
 loss, and the only other casualty was the fall of McHwain. In 
 making the charge at full speed his horse stumbled and fell, 
 throwing the rider over his head. He (Mcllwain) was a six- 
 footer, weighing about two hundred pounds, and, as his fall was a 
 heavy one, he was badly bruised, but no bones were broken; and, 
 though hors de combat, he was in the pursuit to the finish and 
 
o92 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 enjoyed it. In the affray we killed eleven negroes, wounded a 
 number more, captured two white prisoners, twenty horses, and a 
 fine ambulance containing, among other things, six dozen eggs 
 and five gallons of good whiskey, all of which we held as a New 
 Year s present. 
 
 It was but two hours till nightfall, and we made a hasty retreat 
 for the Blackwater, where we arrived at sundown. The bridge 
 over the Blackwater had been partially destroyed sometime 
 before, there remaining only the framework and a few planks. 
 We had been able to cross on these the previous night; but now, 
 with the ambulance and additional horses, and night coming on, 
 we were indeed in a dilemma. We hastily strung the planks in 
 three rows, two rows of single ones, just the w T idth of the ambu 
 lance apart, for the wheels of that vehicle to revolve upon, and 
 another row of double planks over which we led the horses. With 
 much difficulty we succeeded in getting all the horses safely over, 
 save one attached to the ambulance, which fell from the side of 
 the bridge and pulled with him that conveyance itself. Finally, 
 with much exertion, we extricated the horse, and he floundered 
 to the other shore, and thither we propelled the ambulance. Then 
 followed a division of the spoils, and it was an hour in the night 
 before we sought food and shelter. We had fasted sixteen hours 
 and were fatigued. We greatly enjoyed the hospitality of our 
 Virginia friends. The citizens were overjoyed at our victory. 
 Many of the horses we had captured had been stolen from these 
 citizens. They were returned, and the owners were hearty in 
 their thanks and laudation. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 393 
 
 THE POWER OF PRAYER 
 
 San Francisco, October 3, 1908. 
 Colonel U. R. Brooks, Clerk of the Supreme Court of the State 
 
 of South Carolina. 
 
 MY DEAR COMRADE : You have solicited a chapter from me for 
 your forthcoming book, which is complimentary in the extreme, 
 and with great pleasure and considerable gratification, but mainly 
 as a thankful tribute to our Divine Master, who delivered me 
 from the enemy, the following is offered : 
 
 It was in the winter of 1864, both armies, that of Lee and 
 Grant, were resting for the final struggle soon to follow. The 
 army of Lee was holding Richmond and Petersburg, while that of 
 Grant beleaguered both of these cities and encompassed the army 
 of Lee and continuously bombarded our position from his iron 
 monsters. Tired and weary from long years of service, the scout 
 naturally sought a slight surcease from his sorrows and struggles, 
 hence a furlough of fifteen days was accorded to Shadburne and 
 his next friend, the gallant James M. Sloan, of North Carolina, 
 than whom there was no braver soldier or truer friend; and on 
 or about the 5th of November they started on their pilgrimage of 
 love and affection. Near Skinker s Ford on the Kappahannock 
 was a large two-story brick house that commanded a view of the 
 surrounding country, and in that house dwelt the family of the 
 widow McMuran, consisting of her son, a Presbyterian minister, 
 and her two daughters, Misses Gertrude and Mary Virginia, and 
 of all God s noblest and sweetest heroes and heroines of dear old 
 Virginia, this family was amongst the most exalted. The young 
 ladies were beautiful, refined and charming and of a most lovely 
 character, and the writer always had, and still has, a lingering 
 and longing affection for them; he loved them profoundly, and, 
 of course, loved their mother and brother. Many a happy 
 moment of rest, almost perfect rest, he had found under their 
 protective watchfulness when he for a few hours was "off duty. 
 
394 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Naturally this beloved home was their destination. They took 
 the cars to the vicinity of Fredericksburg, crossed the Rappa- 
 hannock, and on foot, on the 6th, reached the hallowed spot. 
 Their coming had not been expected, but they were none the less 
 happily received, and their, or at least Shadburne s, cup of roseate 
 bliss was nearly full, for, as has been said, the young ladies were 
 very dear to him. No attempt will be made to portray their 
 happiness during their stay; suffice it to say after a period of 
 two weeks they bade their friends adieu and trudged their way to 
 Fredericksburg, crossed the river after dark in a small boat, and 
 found the city in the hands of the enemy, and in an attempt to 
 escape therefrom were captured, and great was their chagrin, fear 
 and trepidation, the reasons for which were these : Not long prior 
 thereto, to wit: September 16, all Grant s beeves, 2,486 head, had 
 been captured, and that fact had been traced by the enemy to the 
 chief of scouts, Shadburne, and for that and a few other feats 
 they had no love, but had it "in for him," and now he was in their 
 hands, he running the blockade, his pockets full of letters for "En 
 the Lines," a diary of past events, on his person, and his identity 
 sure to be discovered, and, worst of all, his furlough expired, the 
 campaign about to open, his services needed and he a prisoner 
 doubtless to be held as a spy ; all this dawned on him the moment 
 of his capture, and really the situation seemed desperate. The 
 difficulty was to avoid identification. Shortly after their capture, 
 the cavalry battalion moved off up the road towards Marie s 
 Heights, leaving their two prisoners under the guard of one man, 
 and instantly a prospect of escape presented itself, which the 
 writer was quick to grasp and undertake. Leaning his head upon 
 Sloan s shoulder, he feigned sickness and whispered in Sloan s 
 ear to "draw," believing that Sloan had done the same as himself, 
 retained a revolver; the intention was to shoot or overpower the 
 guard, leap into his saddle and flee, but just then back came the 
 battalion and that prospect was gone; but something must be 
 done, and that quickly. Continuing the ruse of sickness, Shad 
 burne requested leave to go down to the canal for water, but a 
 canteen was presented him instead, and that chance of getting rid 
 of those objectionable letters and that tell-tale diary was gone. 
 Still being very sick, and with his head upon Sloan s shoulder, he 
 suddenly fainted (?), falling close to the edge of the sidewalk, 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 395 
 
 and as quick as thought threw that diary under the gutter, and 
 instantly his nerves were better, the faintness left him and he was 
 almost himself again, but that sickness must continue until 
 further relief was obtained. The good-hearted ( ? ) enemy, the 
 generous ( ? ) enemy, for once was imposed on, for they seemed 
 to believe that sick marts plea, and kindly ordered him up behind 
 one of their troopers, and thus seated, Sloan walking near, they 
 started for the enemy s ships in the river below the city, but soon 
 halted in front of the Presbyterian church and all dismounted 
 and seated themselves on the sidewalk. It was now very dark, 
 only the stars gave a twinkle of light. Presently Shadburne 
 crawled over to Sloan and laid his head on Sloan s knees and 
 whispered to him for his letters, then he stealthily approached a 
 fence to an adjoining yard and began pushing letters under the 
 fence, when a savage dog began a terrific barking from the other 
 side of that fence, and orders came, "Get away from that fence," 
 which were quickly obeyed, and once more the sick man was seek 
 ing comfort from his friend Sloan; and there he, silently, beneath 
 his overcoat, dug up a brick and buried all the remainder of those 
 letters, and then his faintness was gone. While riding behind 
 the guard an attempt had been made to get him to "drap back," 
 which he willingly did, and the resolution was instantly formed 
 to force him from the saddle, leap therein and run for life, pro 
 vided he dropped far enough back, but, alas, just as the propitious 
 moment was about to arrive the order came, "Close up," and that 
 prospect had vanished. Thus it is frequently in life, just as the 
 opportunity has about presented itself it vanishes into space and 
 leaves the heart sick. During the rest at the church Shadburne 
 and Sloan, in whispers, had agreed to their story, which was sub 
 sequently repeated to the enemy. Presently the order came "to 
 mount," and we were soon off for the enemy s boats, where we 
 shortly arrived and were escorted to the presence of Colonel 
 Sumner, the commanding officer, and our interrogation com 
 menced, Sloan first, which ran about thus : 
 
 "What is your name, sir?" 
 
 "James Taylor, sir." 
 
 "What is your command?" 
 
 "Courier at General Hampton s headquarters, sir." 
 
 "Who is that other man?" 
 
396 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 "That is Sergeant Jones, G. D. Jones, sir." 
 
 "His command?" 
 
 "Sergeant of couriers at General Hampton s Headquarters, sir." 
 
 "Does he ever go scouting?" 
 
 "Yes, sir, sometimes." 
 
 "With how many men?" 
 
 "Sometimes twenty, sometimes forty, sometimes one hundred, 
 sir." 
 
 "What is that I see in your bosom?" 
 
 "A pistol, sir." 
 
 "Why did you not surrender that, and why did you keep it?" 
 
 "Because I wished to keep it, it is mine ; and I thought maybe I 
 might need it to shoot my guard, sir." 
 
 "The h 1 you say." 
 
 Then the interrogation of "that other man" began: 
 
 "What is your name?" 
 
 "G. D. Jones." 
 
 "Your command?" 
 
 "Sergeant of couriers at General Hampton s headquarters." 
 
 "Do you ever go scouting, and if so with how many men?" 
 
 "Yes, and with sometimes twenty, sometimes forty, sometimes 
 one hundred men." 
 
 "Yes, I understand; that will do." 
 
 And we were remanded. 
 
 That Yankee guard behind whom "that other man" rode had 
 promised a Yankee overcoat for that night, and "great our wonder 
 grew, and hope once more our senses knew," but we have waited 
 these forty years and that /Yankee and that Yankee overcoat are 
 still a vision of the unknown. Perhaps that Yankee forgot ( ? ) 
 his promise. 
 
 All that night and the next day our vessel steamed on towards 
 Fortress Monroe, where we arrived the succeeding night ; and all 
 night we tossed upon our humble couch of blankets on the floor. 
 Again and again the past and present were reviewed, and again 
 and again we reached out for the future, the future of freedom 
 and God s sunlight, or that other future of the dungeon, or per 
 haps death, ignominious death, the death of a spy. A thousand 
 plans of escape were devised, but none seemed feasible. It would 
 not do to spring overboard and swim for it, the chances were one 
 to one thousand, that proportion was against us, so we must wait. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 397 
 
 "Everything comes to him who waits." The second night, while 
 we lay at Fortress Monroe, another chance presented itself. Call 
 ing the guard to him Shadburne asked permission to go to the 
 toilet, which was readly granted, the guard escorting him. When 
 in the dark and out of hearing of the other men, Shadburne said 
 to the guard, "Get me a little boat, set me adrift in it, and allow 
 me to get one hundred yards away, and then give the alarm if 
 you wish and I ll take my chances; I ll give you one hundred 
 dollars if you will do it." The guard agreed and disappeared in 
 the darkness, ostensibly for the coveted purpose. Shadburne 
 returned to his blankets, and was soon summoned before the com 
 manding officer, the guard had betrayed him. He was taken into 
 a private room, stripped to the skin and searched, and there, in 
 his pocketbook was found a slip of paper, a promissory note in 
 favor of Shadburne, and the secret was out. "Well," said the 
 officer, "Shadburne, at last we have you, good, good," clapping his 
 hands in delight. Shadburne, as cool as possible, answered : "Do 
 you think you have Shadburne ? Do you think he is fool enough 
 to let you get him ? That note, it is true, was obtained from him, 
 but to get him is another thing." The officer responded : "That 
 will not do, you are identified ; we know you, and you will answer 
 to General Grant." Thereupon Sloan and Shadburne were heavily 
 manacled together and placed away down in the deepest part of 
 the hold of the steamship Daniel Webster and started for Grant s 
 headquarters near City Point on the James River. All day that 
 vessel went on her course, and all day our hearts were heavy as 
 lead. About noon a poor Irishman brought us lunch, and, lying 
 down on our pallet beside us, offered his heartfelt sympathy, and 
 it was sweet indeed. May God reward him for that noble deed ! 
 If we could always reflect upon the good we can do our fellows 
 by just a little sympathy, our hearts would not be so cold and 
 we would the more readily respond to our nobler selves, and we 
 would be much the happier in making others happy. 
 
 "Oh, friends! I pray tonight 
 
 Keep not your kisses for my dead, cold brow, 
 The way is lonely ; let me feel them now. 
 Think gently of me, I am travel worn, 
 My faltering feet are pierced with many a thorn. 
 Forgive, oh hearts estranged ! forgive, I plead, 
 When dreamless rest is mine I shall not need 
 The tenderness for which I long tonight." 
 
398 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 We were taken to City Point, Grant s headquarters, and placed 
 on board the prison barge "Walkil," heavily manacled. Our 
 berth, the lower one, faced the west and from it was a small 
 window about two feet square, and from this we could see Grant s 
 headquarters and much of his army. In our stateroom were two 
 of the enemy, who had the upper berth. The first day of our 
 stay on the "Walkil" was harrowing indeed. When the enemy 
 was not in our stateroom we would go there and commune, and 
 about our first act was to kneel in prayer and ask the assistance 
 of God. Shadburne then and there solemnly declared that if 
 delivered from this prison he would ever after attribute his deliv 
 erance to Almighty God, and that promise has been most faith 
 fully kept by him. It was not long during this first day s impris 
 onment before Shadburne, from his silver penholder, had devised 
 a key with which he could easily detach the manacles, but this 
 was done in strictest secrecy and \vhen the enemy were away from 
 that stateroom. The first night of our stay on the barge, while 
 sitting disconsolately by the cabin fire, a swarthy, blackeyed, 
 handsome fellow, one of the enemy, passed before us, when Shad 
 burne called quietly to him, "Williams, come here." He came and 
 sitting down by Shadburne said, "How in the hell do you my 
 name?" Shadburne responded, "Your brother George is one of 
 my men." This was true, as was then discovered. The two 
 brothers had become separated in their infancy, one, George, 
 remaining in Georgia, and he was one of Shadburne s scouts, and 
 the other had been taken to Illinois, and thus they were arrayed 
 against each other, and in like manner many a brother fought 
 brother or even father contended against son in that awful war. 
 Williams, who we subsequently discovered was our roommate, at 
 once became our steadfast friend. He whispered to Shadburne, 
 "I ll take those damned things off you," and went away, spoke to 
 the officer in command and presently returned and removed the 
 irons, little knowing that we could have done the same, had we 
 dared to do it. The next day the officer in command of the barge 
 was changed to an Irish lieutenant and he at once had us more 
 heavily ironed than before, and our key was useless. Our first 
 elation was over, but we were not disconsolate, retiring to our 
 cabin, with no fear from Williams, who had made for us a friend 
 of his cabin mate, or for the latter, we again prayed most earn- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 399 
 
 estly, then meditated, when presently Shadburne s penknife was 
 plying most industriously to the steel notches that held the spring 
 of the manacle on Sloan s wrist, and at each stroke a small glit 
 tering particle of steel fell therefrom. Sloan slapped his thigh 
 and exclaimed, "Everlasting perseverance is the price of liberty !" 
 We cut and cut, but it was of no avail, that spring would not let 
 go, and Williams, not having the ear of the officer, no key could 
 be obtained ; but still we were not disconsolate, some other means 
 would be devised; so Williams, his friend Darden, Sloan and 
 Shadburne held a council of war, from which and by reason of 
 which a bar of iron was soon evolved. Williams and Darden 
 went from the room and the labor of breaking our ornaments 
 began ; we labored and greater the labor grew, much greater than 
 the other fellows knew, but they soon returned and Darden said, 
 "Haven t you those damned things off yet?" Shadburne 
 answered, "No, we need some solid something, an axe, for instance, 
 to rest the shank of this infernal thing on before we can knock it 
 off." Without another word Darden sprang through the door and 
 disappeared and after a short while returned with the coveted 
 axe minus a helve and placing it on the floor said, "Williams, 
 go out and tramp up and down the hall like hell !" and away 
 went Williams and tramped like the devil, and with one huge 
 stroke by Darden we were released from our grip of steel, and 
 
 saying "Hide it, hide it," he went forth tramping like h well, 
 
 like a horse. We hid our engines of war beneath the mattress 
 of our bed, reclasped the broken cuff, wound it with a handker 
 chief and went forth whistling "Dixie." The first part of our 
 prayers, to wit, the removal of the irons, had been answered and 
 granted, but we never ceased praying and acting and as the 
 means of escape were presented we grasped them. We were ever 
 on the alert. Several days had passed in the exploit above men 
 tioned and the greatest secrecy had to be maintained, one false 
 step and all would be lost. Our plan of escape was soon devised. 
 We must have a rope to let ourselves down from the upper deck, 
 where our cabin was situated ; we must have a dark, tempestuous 
 night, and we must have a. small boat, and for all these things we 
 devoutly prayed long and earnestly, all the time promising that 
 if we did escape we would ascribe all to God, and for one. again 
 let it be repeated, Shadburne has never had any doubt about his 
 
400 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 deliverance being by Divine intervention. Day after day we 
 maintained the most perfect composure, even sang Confederate 
 songs for the enemy and related stories of the war to them. Night 
 after night, until quite late they would group themselves around 
 us to be thus beguiled, and all thoughts of escape was farthest 
 from their minds, but we waited, watched and prayed, and on the 
 twelfth night our prayers were granted. That evening water 
 was drawn from the river by a rope and bucket, and the bucket 
 and rope were left by the water tank; we were looking on and 
 were much pleased. The weather was then clear, but by ten 
 o clock that night the heavens were overcast and there was rumb 
 ling thunder in the distance, and the wind began to rise and 
 presently the old barge was rocking visibly with the rising tide 
 and the restless waters, and anon great drops of rain began to fall, 
 the storm was imminent. Now all was still save the elements, the 
 army slept, so did our guard, even to our two friends in the upper 
 berth; then we stole gently forth from our cabin for a drink of 
 water ( ? ) , but regaled ourselves with that rope and not from the 
 bucket, and telling Sloan to return to his couch, Shadburne soon 
 fastened the rope to a post near the cabin and cautiously joined 
 Sloan; then finding that all was still quiet, our preparations 
 began. The night was pitchy dark and our maneuvres had to be 
 made most stealthily. We had retained our saddle pockets that 
 we had carried with us in lieu of valises, and from these, after 
 stripping ourselves to our underclothing, we took some light 
 clothing, placing the same in the bosom of our undershirts, then 
 Shadburne let himself through the window of the stateroom and 
 after receiving the boots of each and fastening them to the end of 
 rope, assisted Sloan, who was a little fellow, through that window, 
 and there we stood ready for the descent. After scanning the 
 surroundings and still finding that all was well, Shadburne went 
 down hand over hand and was soon in the water beside the barge : 
 here he rested but a moment, when down came Sloan, and once 
 more the twain were side by side, this time under the gunwale of 
 "The Walkil." The water was icy cold, it will be remembered it 
 was in November, but our blood, was warm and we thought 
 nothing of the cold. By this time the elements were in wild com 
 motion, the thunder roared, the lightning flashed and the waves 
 rolled high, but the water came only to our, or rather Shadburne s 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 401 
 
 chin, but Sloan, poor fellow, could not touch bottom, but he was 
 an expert swimmer, and could easily take care of himself. Near 
 "The Walkil" was another vessel, a scow of some kind, and 
 fastened to the rear of this were two little boats, that had not been 
 raised from the water that night, contrary to custom, and we 
 "made" for these boats, and soon found that one, the smaller one, 
 was chained and locked to the scow, but the other one was only 
 fastened by a rope, which was easily detached, but there were no 
 oars, and oars we must have ; feeling about, we soon found stairs 
 leading down from the scow to the water, Shadburne ascended 
 these and soon came down with the coveted oars, and as happy as 
 larks and as brave as sheep, we seated ourselves in our gon 
 dola ( ? ) and Shadburne pulling at the oars, new work for him, 
 and Sloan steering, equally novel work for him, the twain pushed 
 out into the muddy James. We had not proceeded far before 
 we were shoaled in mud. Springing out, one on each side, we 
 descended into that filthy stuff up to our midriffs, but by bearing 
 down on the side of the boat and pushing at the same time we 
 managed to propel that craft, it seemed to us for about two hun 
 dred yards, when once more we were afloat; but discovered right 
 ahead of us a dark object on the water, which at first we feared 
 was the patrol, and we were about to abandon our boat and swim 
 for it when we discovered it was a buoy and all was well. With a 
 few lusty strokes we were in the channel, having passed near 
 enough to one of Grant s vessels to touch the anchor chains; and 
 within five minutes more we were on shore and free. 
 
 An old log here projected into the river, on this we stepped, 
 washed the mud from our persons as best we could, pulled on our 
 outer clothing pants, jackets and boots knelt down and pro 
 foundly returned thanks to God for our liberty. Just then the 
 storm broke and the moon came out, and knowing the country 
 passably well, we struck out for other haunts, for, cold as it was, 
 these were too hot for us. All night, that is the balance of the 
 night, we marched, and at daybreak struck the main highway 
 and just missed a battalion of the enemy. All day we lay con 
 cealed in the woods, wet, tired and hungry. All day it rained 
 and by night we were a sorry-looking pair. Shadburne had 
 cramps so he could scarcely walk and Sloan was not in much 
 better condition. Slowly, carefully, stealthily, we crawled past 
 
 26 B. C. 
 
402 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 the enemy s picket line. It was very dark, and within a short 
 time we were at the house of a poor Irishman named Walsh, near 
 the Black Water Swamp. Here we were able to get something 
 to eat, though it was short rations, as the enemy had stolen about 
 all the poor fellow had. Be it said that this man was then a 
 prisoner for some fancied offense on that infernal "Walkil," but 
 his good wife received us kindly and gave us the best comfort 
 within her power. After a brief stay we went forth into the 
 dismal forest, and the night was so dark that we frequently had 
 to crawl and feel for the road. About midnight we came to the 
 house of the Lilly family, several brothers and sisters, good and 
 hospitable people, with whom the scout was ever at home, and 
 knocking for admission, we were soon ushered into warmth and 
 comfort. 
 
 Next morning, after partaking of a good breakfast, being once 
 more warm and dry, we were about starting for our camp in the 
 Black Water Swamp when one of our scouts, Eife, of Mississippi, 
 rode up and was greatly delighted to find us. Shadburne. who 
 was much the worse for his adventure, mounted Rife s horse and 
 the trio struck out for that little camp, where, after about one 
 hour, they arrived and there was a camp meeting then and there, 
 and Shadburne had to make a speech to his men and recount all 
 recent adventures, whereupon every man swore he would never 
 surrender, and they kept that oath and are still Hampton s scouts, 
 and the writer is, with loyalty to the great cause, 
 
 GEO. D. SHADBURNE, 
 
 Chief of Scouts. 
 
 This October 3rd, 15)08, at San Francisco. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 403 
 
 RECOLLECTIONS OF J. D. HOGAN, SCOUT 
 
 Atkins, Arkansas, October 30, 1908. 
 
 DEAR COLONEL BROOKS: I will give you a little sketch as I 
 saw it in and around Columbia in 1865. 
 
 It was about the middle of February of that year. The 
 renowed city was arrayed in all its beauty and grandeur, with 
 bunting draped and Confederate flags flying from balcony and 
 window along Main street and the residences of the city; from 
 the old State House the colors waved to the breeze as if signalling 
 to every son of South Carolina to rally to the defence of the dear 
 old town and its old men, women and children. The streets were 
 lined with faces of men and women furroAved with anxiety and 
 care, with here and there the beautiful faces of the young and 
 fair; boys passed apace with haste and the natural excitement of 
 youth ; masses of negroes flocked everywhere. At intervals along 
 the sidewalk familiar faces appeared : Richard O Neale, Cathcart, 
 Robert Bryce, Charles Janney, Thomas Davis, Henry Davis, 
 Edward Hope, Jas. L. Clark, Drs. John and Edward Fisher, 
 John Black, James D. Tradewell, John Bausket, Theo. Stark, 
 Drs. J. W. Parker, D. H. Trezevant, R. W. Gibbes, Rev. P. J. 
 Shand, Rev. William Martin, John McKenzie, Dr. T. J. Good- 
 wyn, William Pinckney Stark, Chancellor J. P. Carroll, and 
 many others whose names cannot be recalled in the lapse of years. 
 
 As Butler s division disembarked from the long train which 
 had brought them from Virginia, the order came to mount, and 
 as the column reached Main street it was an inspiring sight to see 
 these old men congregating in groups and congratulating them 
 selves that Columbia was now safe. That Sherman would be 
 whipped beyond the limits of the State did not permit of a ques 
 tion. But, in fact, little was known of Sherman s programme 
 rumors were floating on the wings of the wind. It was thought 
 that Charleston would be attacked first, and then Columbia next ; 
 absolutely nothing was known. 
 
 Butler s division went into camp on the Lexington side of the 
 river, and I was ordered by the general to take my party of scouts 
 and locate Sherman s advance, ascertain his movements, and 
 
404 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 report at the earliest moment. My guides were Sanders, of 
 Orangeburg, and Ben Knots, of Lexington. We^mounted and set 
 out, crossed the Congaree bridge into Lexington, and made a 
 forced march for Edisto bridge. We passed the "Red Store," 
 eighteen miles south of the city, turned southwest and reached 
 Knot s mill, where we stayed all night. The next morning we 
 mounted, made another rapid march for the river, where we 
 found Colonel Keitt s regiment guarding the Edisto bridge. We 
 were informed that some of Sherman s bummers had appeared 
 on the opposite side of the bridge the day before and were driven 
 back by Colonel Keitt s men, and there was no time to tarry. We 
 dismounted. I took Shoolbred, Colvin, Dulin, Guffin and San 
 ders, and gave Adolphus Kennerly orders to take charge of our 
 horses and remain at the bridge for further instructions, unless 
 the regiment should receive orders to fall back, and in the event 
 of that they should fall back to Knot s mill and there await my 
 arrival. We were soon across the river and out of the swamp 
 and on the south side of the river. Now, I depended on my 
 guide, who proved to be familiar with the roads and well 
 acquainted with the citizens. Making our way through woods 
 and fields, crossing lagoons and boggy swamps, we were soon in 
 close proximity to the enemy. We came across several citizens 
 who were hiding out from the Yanks and obtained some valuable 
 information from them in reference to Sherman s movements. 
 After remaining in the neighborhood the following night and a 
 part of the next day, I was assured that he had abandoned 
 Charleston and that he would make an attack on Columbia the 
 next morning. Just as th sun was rising we reached the river, 
 only to find the bridge burnt and still smoking, and without much 
 delay we crossed on the smoking timbers, hastened over a distance 
 of five miles and reached the home of Miss Martin. On entering 
 her house I was surprised to find three Federal robbers. Miss 
 Martin was sitting by her parlor fire crying, and a man in a 
 Yankee uniform standing about six feet high, with a Colt s 
 revolver in his hand, demanding her money. I disarmed him at 
 once. Shoolbred disarmed another. From an adjoining room 
 Miss Martin drew my attention to another at her back gate. I 
 disarmed him as he was making an effort to mount his horse for 
 flight. As I was in need of a horse I mounted it hurriedly and 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 405 
 
 gave orders to the boys to bring the prisoners to Knot s mill, 
 where I expected to get my own horse and proceed to Columbia 
 as fast as horseflesh could carry me. The captured horse was a 
 good traveler, and I crossed streams and creeks and left the tall 
 Lexington pines behind me at a rapid rate. Passing Knot s mill 
 on a panting horse I saw the miller, a negro, and asked him if 
 he had seen any soldiers. " Yas, sah ! Whole company of 
 Wheeler s men up at the house now !" The house could not be 
 seen from the mill, and I urged my horse forward, thinking that 
 I would soon be mounted on my own horse and carrying the 
 information that Sherman would attack Columbia and not 
 Charleston. To my. surprise, however, I rode right into about 
 one hundred of Sherman s bummers, and they had my horse by 
 the bridle and a dozen or more Spencer rifles presented at my 
 breast. I asked them if they were not Wheeler s men. "No. 
 What command do you belong to?" "The Twentieth Army 
 Corps" was the reply. I saw that discretion was the better part 
 of valor, so I gave up my brace of Colt s pistols. I had scarcely 
 dismounted before they had taken off a pair of fine brass spurs 
 presented me by my friends in Columbia, a penknife from my 
 vest pocket, and began searching me, \vhen I protested in no 
 uncertain terms. I told the officers that they would be made 
 prisoners, and I would be released in a very short time, and I 
 demanded the same treatment that would be accorded them. My 
 knife was returned, and the officer gave orders to move imme 
 diately. They mounted me on a slow, miserable old horse and 
 took up their line of march back to Miss Martin s. Arrived there 
 late in the evening to find the place covered with blue bellies, I 
 was closely guarded, and about dusk the army went into camp for 
 the night. I was conducted to General Williams headquarters, 
 where I found him and his staff assembled around a pine-log fire. 
 The guard announced : "General, here is a prisoner we captured 
 today." About the first question asked was: "What were you 
 doing in our lines?" "You re in ours; I supposed the Edisto 
 formed your line." After many other questions I told him "that 
 it was very mortifying for me to state that I had called by to 
 bid Miss Elizabeth Knot good-bye, and was disarmed in her 
 presence." "What army do you belong to?" "The Confederate 
 army!" "What corps?" "Hampton s." "What division?" 
 
406 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 "Butler s." "Where is Hampton and Butler?" "I cannot answer 
 that question, General, but you will find them in^the proper place 
 at the right time." After many questions propounded in like 
 manner, I was carried to General Sherman s headquarters, being 
 only a short distance away. I was accompanied by some of Gen 
 eral Williams staff, one of whom made himself very conspicuous 
 in tantalizing me at General Williams headquarters. He said, 
 "General, here is a full-blooded Johnny Reb who was caught in 
 our lines this morning." The general, who was sitting on a camp 
 stool by the fire, turned to me and said : "What was your business 
 inside my lines?" "I was not inside your lines, General. Your 
 men had disarmed me and were inside of our lines, and I mis 
 took them for friends." "What command do you belong to?" 
 "General Butler s division." "Where is Butler?" "I cannot 
 answer." "What State are you from?" "The State of South 
 Carolina." 
 
 During this time a prisoner or deserter was brought in before 
 Sherman. He was from Lexington and gave his name as Trotter. 
 He had gotten away from the "Rebels" at Columbia, and was 
 giving all the information he could in regard to location and 
 strength of our army. I rebuked him and denounced him as a 
 cowardly traitor unworthy the name of a South Carolinian. The 
 officer who made himself so conspicuous said, "Why, Johnny Reb, 
 I believe you would fight!" I rose from the camp stool I was 
 sitting on and answered: "I will fight you for my liberty, and 
 you can select the weapons, and I will select my second from 
 your friends." He turned and twisted, some of his friends 
 laughed and seemed vastly amused at his discomfiture. The gen 
 eral passed the incident by unnoticed, and turning to me asked 
 what was the strength of our army at Columbia. I could not, 
 nor would I if I could, answer that question. I replied, "You will 
 find an army there that will defend the city and defeat your 
 army." He replied, "I admire your pluck, but j^our judgment is 
 bad; it will all be over by the first of June." "I may be a novice 
 in military tactics, but I have an abiding faith in the justice of 
 our cause," I replied. The answer came back, "A man of your 
 determination should be engaged in a better cause." "The cause 
 is good enough for me, and if it goes down I will go down 
 with it." 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 407 
 
 Supper at this juncture was announced, and the general cor 
 dially invited me to join them. It proved to be a nice spread on 
 the ground at the back of his tent, and I enjoyed it. I was closely 
 guarded during the night in company with some twenty other 
 prisoners. I fully intended to make my escape during the night 
 should opportunity offer, but, unfortunately for me, a special 
 guard was placed over me. Early the next morning the command 
 took up its line of march for the Saluda River, crossing it west 
 of the city, which move turned our right wing and Columbia was 
 sacked and destroyed. There is to this day a scar on the west end 
 of the State House left there by a shell fired from the high hills 
 of Lexington. The left wing of Sherman s army crossed a 
 narrow strip of Lexington County, then crossed Broad River 
 into Fairfield County, thus pursuing their onward march to 
 Winnsboro, and going into camp on the red hills northeast of the 
 town on the Rocky Mount Road. 
 
 During the night I had a very severe hemorrhage, caused from 
 a wound through the lungs received a year before. After 
 destroying Columbia the army proceeded to Rocky Mount and 
 camped there. A surgeon examined me and declared "that I 
 would never be able to fight them any more," so I was placed on 
 parole. It was a great relief, for had they searched me they 
 would have found on my person passes from Generals Robert 
 Edward Lee, J. E. B. Stuart, Wade Hampton, M. C. Butler, 
 Fitz Hugh Lee, and had they fallen into the hands of the enemy 
 it may have caused a very serious trouble. 
 
 I am, dear Colonel, 
 
 Yours very truly, 
 
 J. D. HOGAN. 
 
408 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 J. C. COLVIN, SCOUT, OF NOKESVILLE, VA. 
 
 One of the highest honors I had paid me during the war was 
 by General Hampton, although I was complimented by General 
 E. M. Law before on the battlefield of Bentonville amid the rattle 
 of musketry and the roar of cannon. 
 
 I did feel a pride when General Hampton selected me to go 
 around Sherman s army near Columbia to ascertain if the build 
 ings had been burned by the enemy. General Hampton gave 
 me and my detail breakfast from his own table the morning we 
 started for the city. This detail was selected from the different 
 sections through which I had to travel, one from south of Colum 
 bia, between that point and where Sergeant Hogan was captured. 
 This comrade and one other was sent in advance. They were 
 captured by the Yankees, and soon after recaptured when Gen 
 eral Hampton ran Kilpatrick into the swamp. I had just reached 
 the command the morning of the Fayetteville charge. On 
 reporting to General M. C. Butler, the first order given me was to 
 stop the wagon train and check the stampede ; the next to charge. 
 When the brave little band swept by I fell in the rear, and the 
 first man I saw was General Hampton with his pistol leveled at 
 a Yankee, the next instant proved his aim true. Hugh Scott 
 says, in The Veteran, "General Hampton hewed them down with 
 his sabre." He is in error, the facts are he shot them both. I 
 was the nearest man to him and an eyewitness to the shooting of 
 both men. I emptied both of my pistols and struck a Yankee as 
 he passed me with one that I had just fired. 
 
 I will give you a short sketch of my last war trials. We left 
 our command with a few of our party, Guffin and our leader 
 accompanied by another whose command I cannot now recall, 
 and a detail of men numbering some twenty or more, to go 
 around Sherman s right. Occasionally we would send back a 
 courier with a report. I was taken sick on the way and the boys 
 persuaded me finally to ride back with the courier, fearing that I 
 might fall into the hands of the Yankees. We started back, and 
 it was not long before we began meeting soldiers from Lee s 
 army. These men stated that Lee had surrendered. At first we 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 409 
 
 thought them deserters. We pushed forward. The faster we 
 marched the faster these soldiers came, until at last the courier 
 met a man he knew; this man confirmed the report of Lee s sur 
 render. The rumor was well founded, for the courier knew this 
 soldier to be a truthful man. I turned to the courier and asked : 
 "What are you going to do?" He answered, "I m going home." 
 I then said, "I am going with you." He did not object, and 
 turned out to be a splendid fellow. I remained with him until I 
 had rested up, then I started for the fighting lines. The first 
 day s travel I ran into a body of Yankees before I knew it, but 
 concealed myself in a cluster of pines, standing meantime by my 
 horse to keep him quiet until night came on, fearing that his 
 noise might attract the attention of the enemy. When night came 
 the Yanks were all around me, so I camped on the spot, hoping 
 to leave some time during the night, but I did not awake until 
 their bugle sounded just before day. Then it was that I hustled 
 from there, keeping to the woods and fields until I thought that I 
 was out of reach of the Yankees. Here I met a citizen, an old 
 gentleman on his way to the camp to try and have a horse restored 
 which had been taken from him. I found him all right. He 
 directed me to his house and to ask his sister to give me some 
 thing to eat and to feed my horse. He told me, also, that he had 
 two negro boys whom he could trust. I had seen enough of the 
 negro, though, and was, consequently, always on my guard. The 
 sister was a charming lady. She told me to put up my horse and 
 that she would prepare a breakfast. I asked her to let me take 
 some food into the pines, and she consented to this. One of the 
 black boys soon came with a bountiful breakfast, and on his 
 return the Yanks were carrying off her side-saddle and a side 
 of bacon. The lady of the house notified me to be on the lookout. 
 Riding over to the edge of the pines, I could see the blue jackets 
 in every direction. Returning, I hid my horse in the thicket, 
 selecting a place dense and well under cover. About two hours 
 before sunset the Yanks made a dash for my hiding place, and 
 about two hundred yards to where my horse was tied. They took 
 him in charge. Sixty or seventy feet away, up in a pine tree, I 
 lay concealed and settled myself as close as possible. The Yanks 
 rode under and around me, but for the time being they never 
 realized that I was nearer heaven than they were. Their guide 
 
410 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 was one of the old gentleman s trusted darkeys. Between sunset 
 and dark I .left my roost and cautiously made. my way to the 
 house. He met me with outstretched arms as if I had been his son, 
 and had a glass of mint julip made for me as soon as I entered 
 the room. He took care of me that night and at daybreak woke 
 me, gave me breakfast, and himself piloted me across the main 
 thoroughfare, thus giving me a homeward start afoot. That 
 day s journey made my feet sore, but I soon crossed into Virginia 
 and stopped at a farmhouse to rest. The farmer informed me 
 that he understood that horses could be bought cheap, as Sher 
 man s army was on its march to Washington. I had a little over 
 $50.00 in silver which I had exchanged with the Yanks for Con 
 federate money, thinking it would be more convenient for them 
 in prison. This money I gave to the farmer in order that he 
 might purchase two horses. This he did; I took one and gave 
 him the other. 
 
 The most thrilling experience I witnessed during the war was 
 on this lonely jaunt, not having surrended (and, furthermore, I 
 have not yet, as I am a firm believer in the Jeffersonian doctrine,) 
 with no other companion than my horse, I made my way through 
 forest and fields, following the main road and sleeping upon the 
 bosom of mother earth when chance offered. On one occasion it 
 was reported that the Yanks had threatened to hang any person 
 found with a horse branded "U. S." I did not know at what 
 moment I might fall into the hands of the enemy. However, 
 this animal, as if by instinct, avoided the Yanks and carried me 
 safely home in Northern Virginia. There he spent the balance 
 of his days and helped to furnish bread for the family. 
 
 I reached home May 25th, 1865. I found my father and mother 
 working in the garden. Neither knew me at first glance, but 
 when I smiled and spoke to them, mother recognized me and 
 with tears of joy clasped me to her arms. My father stood by 
 gazing upon me in mute admiration. The long-lost boy had been 
 found. Much had been demanded of them for that holy cause. 
 Two sons slept under the soil of Missouri they had served in the 
 army of General Price another sleeps in the family enclosure at 
 Amosville, having died from wounds received in Stuart s night 
 raid on Catlett s Station ; he was a lieutenant in the Fourth Vir 
 ginia cavalry. 
 
 JOHN C. COLVIN, Scout, 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 411 
 
 WARREN S RAID 
 
 The winter of 1864 was notably one of the coldest for many 
 years, and Virginia in winter is not a warm climate, and Decem 
 ber of that year took the palm for that kind of atmospheric 
 phenomena. The scout of long experience can almost guess when 
 the enemy is about to move, and so it was just prior to December 
 7,1864. 
 
 The writer for several dark and tempestuous nights just prior 
 to that date had been "in the lines" and saw that the enemy were 
 unusually active for that season of the year. Rations for many days 
 were being cooked, wagons were being loaded, arms and accoutre 
 ments were gotten into readiness and a general stir was prevalent. 
 This was the condition of Warren s corps, hence Shadburne dis 
 patched to General Hampton : "The enemy, Warren s corps, are 
 about to move; will keep you advised." And in verification of the 
 prediction, on the 7th day of December, 1864, he started south 
 ward with about 30,000 men of all arms of the service, and in the 
 best possible condition. What a contrast they presented, as they 
 marched proudly forth from their lines, to our poorly equipped, 
 ragged, half starved little army, composed of Butler and his men, 
 about 2,000, and A. P. Hill s corps, about 14,000, who were all we 
 could muster to meet that formidable array. That morning 
 Shadburne and Isaac Curtis, of General W. H. F. Lee s command 
 (in blue), rode through the enemy s column, commanding the 
 stragglers to "close up," and Shadburne reported to General 
 Hampton, "That Warren s destination was doubtless Weldon," 
 and that he had his corps, inclusive of Gregg s cavalry, numbering 
 30,000 men. Then he hastily returned alone, again passing 
 through Warren s line of march, and assembled his scouts, about 
 twenty men, heavily armed and well mounted and each man a 
 host in himself, and quickly was in pursuit. It was dreadfully 
 cold ; it had rained for many days and was now sleeting and rain 
 ing at intervals, and great icicles had accumulated on the limbs 
 of the trees of the dark forest through which led the line of 
 march, so that all day the cracking of fallen branches, broken by 
 this load of ice, sounded as the discharge of firearms. 
 
412 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Our ambition was to harass and destroy the enemy s rear, and 
 we did it quite satisfactorily. In our first charge we captured a 
 number of the enemy and each fellow had a canteen of apple jack 
 (brandy), which we joyously seized and absorbed, so that pres 
 ently we were quite warm, and as our fervor grew, so grew our 
 appetite for the enemy, not that we longed for him on account 
 of his apple jack, simply because we loved him so. Fast and 
 furious became our charges and each time many of the enemy 
 told no tales; prisoners we did not want, when we had enough 
 apple jack, hence we took but few. About noon we galloped up 
 to a wayside house, and seeing a lady walking up and down her 
 front porch, wringing her hands in great agony, the writer 
 jumped his horse over the paling fence and inquired of her what 
 was the matter, and soon took in the horrible situation, which we 
 leave the reader to conjecture (which was common to our beloved 
 enemy), when she pointed to a company of New York Zouaves 
 (devils incarnate), not far distant, by the roadside. Instantly 
 rang out loud and clear the command, "Charge em boys; charge 
 em, and give em hell." That charge left that company of New 
 York Zouaves to tell no tales; their lust for booty and beauty 
 doubtless gave them to the devil. The sequel to this occurrence 
 was that when the infernal vandals returned, whipped by Butler 
 and his men, they burned this poor woman s home; first, they 
 robbed her of woman s proudest inheritance, then they stripped 
 her of her home and turned her out in the pitiless storm. Mag 
 nanimous enemy ! Chivalrous enemy ! It is no wonder the South 
 is a "Solid South." God trust she will ever remain so ! With 
 her chivalric recollections, and the remembrance of the aftermath 
 of carpetbaggism and reconstruction, how could her self-respect 
 permit her to be otherwise? 
 
 But let us return to Warren and Butler and his men. As the 
 day advanced, the cold increased and by nightfall it was intense, 
 and that night five of our pickets were frozen to death on their 
 posts. Notwithstanding this condition of the weather, General 
 Hampton marched all night of the 7th and next morning was in 
 front of Warren at Bellefield with General Butler and his men, 
 and Warren, finding the streams swollen and the fords barricaded, 
 after a brief engagement with these determined veterans, con 
 cluded that retreat was wisdom, if not valor, and after destroying 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 413 
 
 many miles of our railroad, on the 9th, commenced his backward 
 march, burning and destroying everything destructible within his 
 reach. All that he had accomplished within two days with his 
 30,000 men was the tearing up of about twenty miles of our rail 
 road, which we soon repaired, and the ravishing, pillaging, 
 burning and destroying of many homes. Thus he had imitated 
 his illustrious fellow-soldier, Crowvatious Sheridan, and he 
 marched back into his lines somewhat a wiser but not better man. 
 On the 8th, about midday, an amusing incident occurred: 
 While the writer was resting a few moments at a wayside house, 
 waiting for dinner, to which the scout was always welcome in 
 dear old Virginia, one of General Butler s men entered and asked 
 of our hostess if she could send General Butler a bottle of brandy, 
 that he was suffering from thirst, cold and hunger and greatly in 
 need of it ; our hostess, a beautiful young lady, readily responded : 
 "Why, of course; certainly General Butler shall have it," and 
 produced a bottle of excellent old peach brandy and requested the 
 trooper to present her compliments to the general together with 
 the bottle. The ladies always, all, admired, perhaps loved the 
 general (just a little), for he was one of the grandest knights 
 that ever set lance for fair lady. The soldier politely doffed his 
 cap and, bowing low, answered: "Certainly." The writer felt 
 certain the general would never even see that bottle, and that the 
 spirits would hie to other haunts. That night, when reclining by 
 the camp fire, he informed the general of this incident and 
 inquired how he relished the brandy. The general laughingly 
 responded : "The scoundrel, and just to think, he used my name, 
 imposed on that young lady and never gave me a drop. Con 
 found him, if I could catch him I d make him rue it." When 
 the laughter subsided, in which the general heartily joined. Shad- 
 burne said: "General, you have the advantage of us." He 
 answered, "How?" "You have but one foot to freeze, we have 
 two." This was cruel wit, but the occasion seemed to demand it, 
 and it was meant in love and admiration, and the general received 
 the sally good-naturedly and simply smiled (a sad smile) at his 
 handsome cork foot, and doubtless thought of that memorable 
 battlefield at Brandy Station 9th June, 1863 when he lost that 
 foot. The general was a handsome man, then about twenty-seven 
 years of age, tall, spare, graceful, athletic, and eve^ inch a 
 
414 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 soldier. The army loved him and all the ladies of the South 
 admired him. He is now the last of his line, an$ when he retires 
 to the Shades of Night no one can fill his place. God knows he 
 was a hero, and would to God his prowess had known success. 
 Never fought a grander man for a grander cause. And we all felt 
 as he, that success should have crowned our efforts, and so shall 
 ever feel. We cannot feel that our failure was best. 
 
 GEO. D. SHADBURNE, 
 
 Chief of Scouts. 
 At San Francisco, January 1, 1909. 
 
DOCTOR B. \V. TAYLOR 
 
416 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 DR. B. W. TAYLOR 
 
 Augusta, Ga., December 26, 1905. 
 
 DEAR COLONEL BROOKS: Your telegram just received announc 
 ing the death of Dr. B. W. Taylor. To say that the announce 
 ment has filled my heart with profound sorrow is a very feeble 
 form of expression. 
 
 Dr. Taylor, familiarly known by his friends as Watt Taylor, 
 was my college mate at the South Carolina College away back 
 in the 50 s. We entered the Confederate service together in the 
 Hampton Legion. He was chief surgeon of my regiment, the 
 Second South Carolina Cavalry. He performed the surgical 
 operation on the 9th of June, 1863, which I verily believe saved 
 my life. He was surgeon of the First Cavalry Brigade, Army of 
 Northern Virginia, then of the first division, commanded respect 
 ively by General Hampton and myself. Added to that he was 
 my comrade and friend from first to last. 
 
 A man more devoted to his duty whether to friend or enemy, a 
 more conspicuously courageous soldier and gentleman never lived. 
 He was, moreover, up amongst the first in his profession of sur 
 gery and medicine. He never complained or found fault, but 
 went straight ahead doing his duty as it came to him. He never 
 said unkind, ill-natured things about anybody, although a man of 
 strong convictions and undaunted courage. 
 
 Of all the men I have known in a long, checkered career, there 
 were three, Lieu tenant- Colonel Frank Hampton, Dr. B. W. Tay 
 lor and Major Jack Preston, whom I have always cherished with 
 the sincerest affection. They were such thorough gentlemen, so 
 true, so courageous, so gracious, so free from guile and deceit. 
 
 Watt Taylor s death will be a great loss to Columbia and the 
 whole State. His great personal worth and character, his pro 
 fessional standard of honor, his sense of duty to his country, his 
 undeviating pursuit on the line of right exercised a commanding 
 influence. May the blessing of God be with him arid remain with 
 him always, is my devout and heartfelt prayer. I know he will 
 be among the elect in the next world. 
 
 M. C. BUTLER. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 417 
 
 THE CHARGE ON KILPATRICK S CAMP 
 
 "That brilliancy called History is pitiless; it has this strange 
 and divine thing about it, that all light as it is, and. because it is 
 light, it often throws shadows over spots before luminous, it 
 makes of the same man two different phantoms, and one attacks 
 the other, and the darkness of the despot struggles with the lustre 
 of the captain." In the language of Wendell Phillips : "If I were 
 to tell you the story of Napoleon, I should take it from the lips 
 of Frenchmen, who find no language rich enough to paint the 
 great captain of the nineteenth century. Were I to tell you the 
 story of Washington, I should take it from your hearts you who 
 think no marble white enough on which to carve the name of the 
 Father of his Country." 
 
 I am about to tell you of one of the many battles which was 
 planned, fought and won by our own illustrious Lieutenant- 
 General Wade Hampton on the 10th day of March, 1865 the 
 charge on Kilpatrick s camp, twelve miles west of Fayetteville, 
 N. C. Hampton s plan of action was a masterpiece. No his 
 torian will ever say of him what has been said of Wellington, 
 that "Waterloo is a battle of the first class won by a captain of the 
 second." Hampton s brave men who dared to follow where he 
 dared to lead saw no Waterloo because that expressive word of 
 defeat was not written in their vocabulary. Napoleon said that 
 "detail facts belong rather to the biography of regiments than to 
 the history of the army." I will, therefore, try to deal in detail 
 facts as I remember them. 
 
 In January, 1865, General Lee ordered Lieutenant- General 
 Hampton with General M. C. Butler and two of his brigades 
 (Young s and Dunovant s) from the Army of Northern Virginia 
 to meet Sherman at Columbia, where General Wheeler was to 
 report to General Hampton upon his arrival. Each general had 
 a squad of scouts who were brave and courageous men. I will 
 give their names as I remember them. General Hampton s scouts 
 were G. D. Shadburne, sergeant commanding ; Bob Shiver, Lind 
 say, W. W. Miller, D. F. Tanner, Tom Thistle, Phil Hutchinson, 
 Jim Dulin, Jim Guffin, Lem Guffin, Walker Russell, David Smith, 
 
 27 B. C. 
 
418 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Jack Shoolbred, McCalla, - - Simmons, Jim Sloan, Shake 
 Harris, R. B. Merchant, Pres Parks and Sol Le^are. Sol Legare 
 was captured below Petersburg, Va., in October, 1864; died in 
 prison, July, 1865 Point Lookout. Wallace Miller brought his 
 remains home in 1868. 
 
 General Butler s scouts were Dick Hogan, sergeant command 
 ing; Hugh H. Scott, Bernard King, Bill Morrow, Dolph Ken 
 nedy, Bill Light, - Elliott, Joel Adams, Jim Niblet, - 
 Black, - - Ashley, - - Collins, - - Hodges, Bill Burness, Bill 
 Turner, Pern Guffin, and a brave young lad from Virginia named 
 Colvin, and also the fearless Captain James Butler and N. B. 
 Eison. 
 
 General Wheeler s scouts were commanded by Captain 
 Shannon. 
 
 The gallant General Butler commanded the rear guard on the 
 morning of the 17th of February, 1865, when we were leaving 
 Columbia, and while the remnant of the second squadron of the 
 Sixth S. C. Cavalry was reluctantly leaving our beautiful city 
 Sergeant Hill Winn was killed in the college campus when with 
 drawing the picket line by Black Jack Logan s advance guard. 
 This gallant young soldier belonged to "Co. B" which with "Co. 
 F" (the cadet company) formed the said second squadron than 
 whom no braver squadron ever crossed the James. 
 
 The hero of Sherman s army was Lieutenant John A. McQueen, 
 of the Fifteenth Illinois Cavalry, who saved several houses in 
 Columbia at the peril of his life, and in the language of Dr. A. 
 Toomer Porter, "he was one of the finest men I have ever known, 
 a brave soldier, a chivalrous enemy, a devoted friend, and a most 
 devout and honest Christian gentleman." So much pleased was 
 Dr. Porter with him that he wrote this letter : 
 
 Columbia, S. C., February, 1805. 
 Lieutenant-General Wade Hampton. 
 
 DEAR GENERAL: Should Lieutenant McQueen, Fifteenth Illinois Cavalry, 
 one of General Howard s escort, TJ. S. A., ever fall into your hands or any 
 of your command, let me entreat you to show him every kindness in your 
 power. In the awful night of the 17th, I testify but for him my family and 
 Dr. Reynolds would have suffered indeed. lie stuck to us all the night 
 and all the day. He was a great part of the night on the shed, and labored 
 with all his might to save Dr. Reynolds house, which, by the good provi 
 dence of God, by his aid was saved. I beg you, by all kind remembrance 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY. 1861-1865. 419 
 
 of the past, for my sake as well as for him who has in the midst of the 
 horrors of that night proved himself a man and a Christian, return to him 
 in his extremity all the kindness he showed to us in ours. I am, General, 
 
 Yours faithfully, 
 (Signed) A. TOOMER PORTER. 
 
 Bummers were men who were ordered by Sherman to go from 
 house to house along the march and rob our women and children of 
 every morsel of bread and meat they possessed to feed his 70,000 
 hungry men who, with a few exceptions, acted like savages more 
 than soldiers. Some of our women were forced to rake up grains 
 of corn from where these men had fed their horses in order to 
 prepare it for food as best they could. Every horse, mule, cow, 
 turkey, chicken and all that could be eaten, had been stolen. The 
 day after leaving Columbia, General Butler, with a few men, 
 charged some "bummers" and they ran in every direction from 
 the house they were then pillaging, and in a chase of about 200 
 yards through the woods I caught one of them, who begged hard 
 for his life, and offered me a beautiful riding whip not to kill him 
 which he had evidently stolen from some lady, and as he had 
 thrown his gun away all that I could do was to accept the whip 
 and him too. I turned him over to Geneneral Butler and left him 
 answering questions. 
 
 The next day some one presented General Butler with a large 
 map of the State, which was put in my charge until we could get 
 a smaller one, which was procured, I think, the next day. About 
 sundown of the first day I carried it General Butler called for the 
 map which, to my disgust, I had left five miles away in a house 
 where some ladies had given me a piece of bread. The order had 
 to be obeyed, and when I mounted my faithful horse something, 
 I know not what, seemed to tell him that quick work was all that 
 could save us both the smoke of the houses all around showed 
 that we were gradually being surrounded and I expected every 
 moment to be bushwhacked or perhaps meet a column in the road 
 and be shot to death ; but I swore I would have that map or die, 
 and when I reached the house with my horse white with sweat, a 
 lady met me at the gate with the map and said, "Fly, for they are 
 here." It is useless to state that the map was soon in General 
 Butler s hands. This same faithful horse, like Tarn O Shanter s 
 Meg, "good as ever lifted leg," was killed at Campbell s Mill, 
 
420 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 on the Juniper Creek, in Chesterfield County, when his rider and 
 a private soldier belonging to the Phillips, Legion named 
 McDaniel, being possessed with more pluck than judgment, 
 charged fourteen Yankees in the Campbell house. Well do I 
 remember how poor old Mrs. Campbell looked when she ran out 
 of the house and said, "My gracious alives, men, if you don t stop 
 that shoot en somebody is gwine to git hurt." I soon discovered 
 that she was right. My horse was shot, and so was I, but the poor 
 horse had enough strength to take me to the swamp, where 
 McDaniel and I held a council of war and decided to separate at 
 once. Poor fellow, I hope he is doing well I have not heard of 
 him since. I wandered about in the woods, dodging blue coats 
 until dark, when I met an old citizen who gave me his hat and 
 said, "Here is a good negro who will conduct you through the 
 woods to Society Hill to Dr. Pressley s house, and he will let you 
 have a horse." Upon our safe arrival I gave this faithful negro 
 all I possessed, which was a five- dollar Confederate bill. Our 
 scouts took the bummers in at Campbell s Mill and ate the dinner 
 which they made old Mrs. Campbell prepare for them. At Dr. 
 Pressley s hospitable home I fortunately met Colonel Zimmerman 
 Davis, and the next morning I was mounted on Dr. Pressley s 
 horse and with Colonel Davis crossed the Great Pee Dee and went 
 in the direction of Bennettsville, and after traveling a few miles, 
 I had returned Dr. Pressley s horse, having procured a wild 
 young horse which could run like a deer. We spent the night at 
 Bennettsville and early next morning met our men at Cheraw, 
 where a hot skirmish was going on. A battery was placed in 
 position to shell the town, and while General Butler and his scouts 
 were consulting in the street a shell killed the horse of Sergeant 
 Wells of the Charleston Light Dragoons. This gallant company 
 had been so badly cut to pieces in Virginia that only fifteen or 
 twenty men were left, and while at Columbia, General Butler 
 detailed these brave boys as his escort, and the first shell fired 
 into Cheraw killed the horse just mentioned. Just before reach 
 ing Lynch s River we stopped at a house where a deserter lived. 
 He told us that he belonged to "Nelson s Battalion, Hagood s 
 Brigade," and took us for Kilpatrick s men and opened his corn 
 crib and fed our horses and assured us that he was with us and 
 would do what he could to crush the rebellion. I never can forget 
 
GLENN EDWIN DAVIS, 
 
 since 1883 City Sheriff of Charleston, was born in Fairfield County in 1843, but was 
 reared from the age of four years in the city. Several of his ancestors were officers 
 in the Revolutionary Army. In 155S he entered the military academy at Murfreesboro, 
 Tenn., and in 1860 became a cadet at the Citadel Academy at Charleston. He left this 
 institution with the Cadets in June, 1862, and enlisted in the Sixth South Carolina 
 Cavalry, the Cadets forming Company "F" of that command. In this regiment he 
 served one year, participating in several skirmishes on the coast, and was then trans 
 ferred to Company "D," Fifth South Carolina Cavalry. Being ordered to Virginia, his 
 regiment became part of General M. C. Butler s command of Hampton s Division. He 
 was appointed color-bearer of the brigade of General John Dunovant. After this gallant 
 general was killed, Davis returned to his regiment. After the battle of Trevilian, he 
 was appointed sergeant-major of the regiment in recognition of his gallant record and 
 soldierly ability; from early in 1865 until the surrender at Greensboro, he acted as 
 adjutant of the regiment. Among the battles in which he participated were the 
 engagements of cavalry before Richmond and Petersburg, Chester Station, Va. ; Drewry s 
 Bluff, Charles City, Trevilian s, White House, Ream s Station, Vaughn Road, Burgess 
 Mill, Averysboro, and Bentonville, N. C. He was in over forty cavalry skirmishes in 
 Virginia, a number on the South Carolina coast, and almost daily skirmishes in the 
 two Carolinas during Sherman s march from February 14th to April 13th, 1865. For a 
 year after the close of hostilities he resided in Edgefield, S. C.; then he returned to 
 Charleston, where he has since resided. His election as City Sheriff in 1883, and his 
 long retention in office evidence the high regard in which he is held by the people of 
 Charleston. 
 
4:22 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 how this unfortunate man looked next morning when he found, to 
 his utter disgust, that he had been entertaining "graycoats." 
 
 I take the following from a letter written by Colonel Zimmer 
 man Davis : 
 
 "Among many similar brilliant exploits of our Major-General 
 Butler, was a morning attack upon one of Sherman s wagon trains 
 on the west of Little Lynch s Creek, in Kershaw County, on Feb 
 ruary 23rd. The night before was cold, dark and rainy, when 
 he boldly marched his command into the very midst of Sherman s 
 army, and about eleven o clock went into camp in sight of and 
 between camp fires of two army corps. His men were in the 
 saddle again before the dawn and by sunrise were drawn up in 
 column of fours in close proximity to an encampment of wagon 
 trains, anxiously awaiting the opportune moment to charge. Just 
 as the wagons were all hitched up and had been driven into the 
 road for the purpose of beginning the day s march, their escort 
 in front, the shrill blasts of our bugles sounding the charge awoke 
 echoes in the forests around and away we went, shouting, shooting 
 and hewing with sabre. It was but the work of a few moments 
 and in an incredible short space of time about two hundred pris 
 oners and nineteen splendid army wagons, each drawn by six 
 fine mules clad in such harness as our Confederate teamsters had 
 not seen for many a day, were put across the stream into the 
 peninsular formed by Little and Big Lynch s Creek, where they 
 were safe from rescue." 
 
 This wagon train was coming after the very corn that our 
 horses had just eaten, and in this charge that took them in one 
 of General Hampton s bravest scouts, Jim Dulin, was severely 
 wounded in the thigh, and the best we could do for him was to 
 put him in a little hut near the river in Darlington County. Jim 
 Dulin was as brave as Julius Caesar, and was detailed to scout for 
 General Hampton from Company I, Second South Carolina 
 Cavalry, though a Virginian from Fauquier County. I have 
 never seen him since telling him good-bye in the hut. 
 
 Colonel Davis continues : "After the charge, while waiting in 
 the road in column of fours, prepared to resist a counter charge 
 from the enemy s main body, should one be attempted while the 
 captured train was crossing the creek, I observed a horse running 
 through the woods without a rider, and dispatched Private 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 423 
 
 McElroy of my old company, the ; South Carolina Kangers, to 
 capture and bring him in. He did so, and as the horse was 
 equipped with a perfectly new English bridle and martingales of 
 soft yellow leather, I lost no time in transferring them to my own 
 horse. I swapped saddle pouches, too, as the captured one was 
 also new. One side of the pouch was empty, the other side con 
 tained nothing but a book which, upon examination, proved to be 
 the diary of Lieutenant John A. McQueen. The diary was fre 
 quently referred to and discussed by General Butler, Colonel 
 Aiken and myself during the next day as we had opportunity on 
 the march. These words were written in the diary by Lieutenant 
 McQueen : It was heartrending to see the wanton destruction of 
 property and the insults visited upon defenseless women and 
 children of Columbia by our Union soldiers. I did all I could to 
 prevent it, but was powerless. 
 
 Butler s old brigade was commanded by Colonel Hugh K. 
 Aiken, and on the morning of the 24th of February, 1865, General 
 Butler being then at Kellytown, directed Colonel Aiken to take a 
 regiment and proceed down the east bank of Lynch s Creek and 
 ascertain if any portion of Sherman s army had crossed into 
 Darlington County. Colonel Aiken selected the Fifth South 
 Carolina Cavalry, commanded by Colonel Davis. This gallant 
 old regiment had been cut to pieces so that only about 300 men 
 answered to roll call. On the road to Dubose Bridge Colonel 
 Aiken met a picked body of men commanded by Lieutenant John 
 A. McQueen, and led the charge, with Colonel Davis by his side, 
 and it being dark the men got into close quarters and Colonel 
 Aiken was captured, with Sergeant Haigler, but jerked the reins 
 out of the hand of the Yankee who held them and escaped and 
 rode up to Colonel Davis and dismounted, but Avas hit imme 
 diately by one of the parting shots of the enemy, and cried out, 
 "Davis, I am dying, catch me." His nephew and courier, young 
 Willie Aiken, caught him as he fell, and his death was instanta 
 neous. Thus ended the career of the gallant Hugh K. Aiken, 
 colonel of the Sixth South Carolina Cavalry. 
 
 In this night charge, as Colonel Zimmerman Davis drew near 
 the enemy he saw that the two men in the road ahead were 
 officers and both firing pistols, their last shot passing through his 
 hair at less than five paces. He fired at them once as ho 
 
424 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 approached and again as he went rushing by; he struck the one 
 nearest to him a severe blow with the muzzle of his pistol and 
 pulled the trigger at the same instant, severely wounding Lieu 
 tenant John A. McQueen, who was taken by the Confederates to 
 the house of Mr. Dubose, where he showed Dr. Porter s letter and 
 was treated with the utmost kindness. As soon as Dr. Porter 
 heard of it, he was at once by his side and could not have been 
 more tender to his own son. From the Dubose house Lieutenant 
 McQueen was sent to Camden and there it was that Dr. Porter 
 nursed him. 
 
 After leaving Cheraw we had a pretty hot skirmish at Rocking- 
 ham, N. C., and the next day charged a regiment of cavalry just 
 after they had opened a barrel of wine. I led this charge, simply 
 because I lost control of my horse he being young and afraid of 
 a gun. Fortunately, our men coming behind me with rebel yell 
 created a panic among the Yankees and they stampeded, thereby 
 saving me from death or capture. 
 
 While our command was in Chesterfield County, Pink Brantley, 
 General Butler s orderly, got permission to visit the house of a 
 friend, where the Yankees captured General Butler s satchel con 
 taining, among other things, his comb and brush, and old Pink, 
 too. While we felt sorry for Pink, we could not refrain from 
 laughing when we heard of it, because when Pink left us he said 
 no ten or fifteen Yankees could catch him he knew the country 
 too well he was raised there. Little did he think that he would 
 be raised again so soon by the Yankees. 
 
 The gallant Colonel L. P. Miller commanded the Sixth Cavalry 
 from the date of General Dunovant s death, October 1st. 1864. 
 Colonel Miller was one of the best disciplinarians in the army, 
 and is now the only surviving field officer of that historical regi 
 ment. 
 
 Major Tom Ferguson was wounded 10th of March, 1865, and a 
 few years ago went to his reward full of honors as soldier and 
 citizen. 
 
 On the 9th day of March, 1865, General Hampton rode ahead 
 of the command all day by himself, and the men would look at 
 each other and say : "Look out, boys, old Wade is fixing a trap for 
 them ; we will be into it tonight," while others would say : "We 
 will give it to them tomorrow," which forcibly reminded me of 
 
BUTLER AND. His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 425 
 
 what General Mart Gary said to a Yankee general in Virginia 
 one day after they had arranged some matter under a flag of 
 truce and had separated, but before the general in blue was fifty 
 yards away the "Old Bald Eagle" called to him and said, "I am 
 coming over tomorrow and give you hell," and sure enough he did. 
 About sundown on this bleak, cheerless, drizzling day, we 
 caught up with General Hampton, who consulted with General 
 Butler, and just at dark General Butler paralyzed the pickets of 
 the Fifth Ohio U. S. Cavalry, not by shooting at them, but by 
 simply commanding them to surrender not a shot was fired. It 
 was the coolest thing I ever witnessed, and within ten minutes 
 more he had captured fifteen or twenty bummers in the same cool 
 and deliberate way thus leaving Hampton at Kilpatrick s picket 
 post with the key to the lock of the situation well in hand. A 
 "council of war" was held with General Wheeler, and in a short 
 time Hampton, Wheeler and Butler were walking through and 
 around Kilpatrick s camp, where all was still as death save across 
 the road where the provost guard kept a close watch over 125 of 
 our men who had been captured along the route from Columbia, 
 who were all barefooted, bareheaded and almost naked. Flynn 
 Davis, a brother of Colonel Zimmerman Davis, and Frank 
 Niernsee, with his brother, Reuben Niernsee, now of Washington, 
 D. C., were among the prisoners recaptured. Just at the break 
 of day, a few minutes after the formation of the line and in the 
 midst of that profound silence which precedes the storm of a 
 battle, General Butler ordered Colonel Gid Wright and Hugh 
 Scott by his side with the gallant old Cobb Legion to lead the 
 charge, following close on the heels of a dashing young officer, 
 Captain Bostick, who first entered Kilpatrick s camp leading his 
 squadron of the Cobb Legion. Captain Bostick had been selected 
 by Colonel Wright to lead what was supposed would be a "forlorn 
 hope." They were followed by the rest of Butler s "Spartan 
 band." No charge was ever made with more determination. The 
 charge of the "Scotch Grays" at Waterloo was not equal to it. 
 General Wheeler was ordered to support us on the right, but 
 unfortunately, his horse bogged up in the miry woods and like 
 Moses of old, and the promised land, they could see us and hear 
 us, but could not get to us at once. Oh, that I had the power to 
 describe this hand-to-hand fight the men on both sides were 
 
426 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 brave and fought with more desperation than I had ever before 
 seen. 
 
 Victor Hugo says: "A certain amount of tempest is always 
 mingled with a battle. Every historian traces to some extent the 
 lineament that pleases him in the hurly burly. What is a battle ? 
 An oscillation. The immobility of a mathematical plan expresses 
 a minute and not a day. To paint a battle, those powerful 
 painters who have chaos in their pencils are needed. Let us add 
 that there is always a certain moment in which the battle degen 
 erates into a combat, is particularized and broken up into count 
 less detail facts. The historian in such a case has the evident 
 right to sum up, he can only catch the principal outlines of the 
 struggle, and it is not given to any narrator, however conscien 
 tious he may be, to absolutely fix the form of that horrible cloud 
 which is called the battle." 
 
 Butler s men charged down the road and as soon as they rode 
 over the sleeping men in blue, they wheeled their horses and rode 
 over them again three times they rode over them while the 
 men under the blankets would say, "We surrender," but would 
 fight like tigers when they saw so few "gray coats." Soon we 
 were all mixed up so that swords, small arms and ringing cannon 
 thunder caused blood to flow in streams. 
 
 "Breast against breast with ruinous assault 
 And deaf ning shock they come." 
 
 The rush of columns to the breach, officers cheering the men 
 on; pauses, breaks, wild and angry threats, upbraiding calls, 
 fresh rush on rush, now here, now there; fierce shouts above, 
 below, behind; shrieks of agony, choked groans and gasps of 
 dying men and horses hurled down with rattling missiles of 
 death. I take the following from Colonel Thomas s history of 
 the Citadel, page 219, by Lieutenant Alfred Aldrich : 
 
 "On the 10th March, 1865, our command surprised General Kilpatrick s 
 camp about daybreak, and the battle which followed lasted the whole day, 
 and on the Confederate side no infantry was employed. It may not be 
 out of place to chronicle here one of the many episodes that befell the 
 cadets here, collectively and severally, during their service, and the writer 
 will relate an incident of this battle in which Shaftsbury Moses measured 
 sabers fists with one of Kilpatrick s troopers. The cadet company was 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 427 
 
 lighting hand to hand with the enemy, and Moses horse was killed under 
 him. On freeing himself from his dying horse, he found himself confronted 
 by a big Yankee, sabre in hand. Moses, being a smaller man than his 
 antagonist and dead game, determined to force the fighting, and he made 
 a furious thrust inside of his adversary s guard, which caused a clinch and 
 a fall then the Gaol above, Fitz James below and not only so, but the Gaol 
 had in the brief struggle secured a firm hold with his teeth on Fitz James 
 finger. As good luck would have it, Private Bill Martin, whose horse had 
 also been killed, came along just at this juncture, and, in his own expres 
 sive language, lifted the Yank off of Shaftsbury with his revolver. As 
 no such name as Shaftsbury Moses appears on the muster roll of the 
 Cadet company, it is proper to state that Cadet J. H. Moses while at the 
 Citadel, on account of his scholarly style of composition, had been dubbed 
 by his fellow cadets Lord Shaftsbury. In this battle Sergeant G. H. 
 Hodges horse was killed under him and he was shot in the side. Though 
 wounded, he succeeded in capturing another horse and continued in the 
 battle until disabled by a wound in the shoulder. After the battle, investi 
 gation showed that the enemy s bullet had entered the same hole in his 
 coat that was made by the bullet which wounded him at Trevillian, 12th 
 June, 1864. In this battle, Captain Humphreys was wounded in the 
 arm by a grape shot in charging a battery. He was carried to the hos 
 pital in Raleigh, N. C. The surgeon informed him that his arm must be 
 amputated. He refused to submit to the operation from a morbid horror 
 of going through life maimed, and died a short time before Lee s surrender. 
 Cadet Humphreys was gifted with a fine intellect, and every natural 
 quality to make for himself a successful career. Fate willed otherwise 
 than that he should survive to fulfil the promise of his youth, and after 
 a term of service, brief but brilliant enough to satisfy the dream of any 
 Paladin of romance, he died just in time not to know that the good fight 
 had been made in vain. 
 
 " The Cadet Company fought in the battle of Bentonville, and learning 
 that Johnston s army was to be surrendered, by permission, marched out 
 of camp the night preceding that event, with the idea of making its way 
 to the trans-Mississippi part of the Confederacy, but disbanded under 
 counsel of its colonel, L. P. Miller, when he bade them good-bye." 
 
 The 10th of March was a damp, dreary, cloudy day, and the 
 smoke from the guns would not rise. If you missed your aim 
 your bullet was liable to kill friend or foe. The prettiest duel I 
 ever saw was fought by Captain James Butler and a Federal 
 officer who began the fight with the brave, the dashing, the gal 
 lant and handsome Nat Butler, who was riding the same horse 
 that his brother Thomas was on when killed at Gettysburg, he 
 was shot through the right elbow, and as soon as Captain James 
 Butler saw his young brother s arm hanging at his side he at 
 
428 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 once attracted the Yankee s attention by sending a bullet whizzing 
 by his head, and after exchanging three deliberate shots at each 
 other, this brave man in blue bit the dust. Captain James Butler 
 was cool, brave, and at times reckless, and I can never forget how 
 tenderly he nursed his young wounded brother no woman could 
 have been more attentive and kind than he. Nat Butler was my 
 friend, and I was his friend. I loved him, and he loved me. 
 
 Among a great many other brave men, gallant Sam Cothran, 
 orderly sergeant Company B, Sixth South Carolina Cavalry, 
 Tom Sego, Mat Adams and Fayette Cogburn were killed, which 
 reduced this gallant old company to a mere handful of men. 
 
 Captain Bostick was ordered to capture General Kilpatrick, 
 but the wily general outwitted him. When the captain rode up 
 to him in his dishabille, and said "Where is General Kil 
 patrick?" he replied, "Don t you see him running on that horse 
 right yonder?" With this, the captain charged him; the private 
 soldier, who was frightened, outran everything that followed him. 
 General Kilpatrick, however, took time by the forelock and was 
 soon mounted on his courier s horse and made good his escape. 
 After the war, when General Butler was in the Senate, Kilpatrick 
 said to him : "When I heard the Rebel yell in my camp, I threw 
 up both hands and exclaimed, My goodness, four years hard 
 fighting and a major-general s commission gone in four minutes. r 
 
 The next day we comparatively rested and rode into Fayette- 
 ville, N. C., and while we were all at breakfast gallant Hugh 
 Scott notified General Hampton that 100 Yankees were at the 
 door and said: "General, give me four or five men and I will 
 run them out of town." General Hampton, hearing the words of 
 this beardless boy, inspired him and he said : "You scouts follow 
 me and I will lead this charge." He killed two with his own 
 pistol and captured the captain, who acknowledged that he had 
 sixty-eight men, of whom quite a number were killed and cap 
 tured. Here is a copy of General Hampton s letter compli 
 menting these gallant boys who followed him : 
 
 Headquarters Cavalry, 
 
 19th March, 1865. 
 
 LIEUTENANT: I take great pleasure in commending to you Privates 
 Wells, Bellinger and Fishburne of your company, who, with Private Scott, 
 and one of Wheeler s command whose name I regret I don t know, acted 
 
BUTLEK AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 429 
 
 with conspicuous gallantry in charging and driving from the town of Fay- 
 etteville that portion of the enemy s cavalry which entered the town before 
 it had been evacuated by my troops. Their conduct on this occasion 
 reflects high credit upon them as soldiers. 
 
 Very respectfully, your obt. servt., 
 
 WADE HAMPTON, Lt. Genl. 
 Lt. Harleston, Commanding Co. K, 4th S. C. Cav. 
 
 It seems that the sixty-eight blue coats rushed into town and 
 were surprised to find us there. The whole thing was done so 
 quickly that some of us knew nothing about it until it was all 
 over. General Hardee crossed over the river with his foot-sore 
 veterans. Butler s rear guard followed leisurely, burning the 
 bridge over Cape Fear River behind him. Bachman s battery 
 was among the last to cross the bridge, and an historic battery it 
 was, recruited in Charleston, composed of sturdy, brave, deter 
 mined Germans. It enlisted for the war, served in the trying 
 years in Virginia, complimented for gallantry at every turn, it 
 bore a distinguished name for unbounded courage. In the his 
 tory of artillery it seldom happens, perhaps never before can it 
 be cited, where a battery charged a brigade of cavalry. Yet it 
 occurred, and the Federal commander of that cavalry brigade, 
 rather than surrender himself, blew out his own brains on the 
 field of battle. So that this battery traversed nearly every 
 military road in Virginia, crpssed the Potomac, fought in Mary 
 land and Pennsylvania, ordered back to South Carolina, and 
 aided by an enviable courage to close the career of the Confed 
 eracy at Bentonville, N. C. The only surviving officer of this 
 historic command is the Hon. James Simons, ex-speaker of the 
 South Carolina House of Representatives. 
 
 Heretofore in these pages an allusion has been made to the 
 "Charleston Light Dragoons." This is an old and time-honored 
 corps back to 1773, when it was named the "Charles-Town City 
 Troop," and did active service then as a company, and in halcyon 
 days as gay and gallant "Dragoons" on "Muster Day," and as 
 an escort for governors. They went to Virginia as a "kid glove" 
 company, earning glory on each and every field, such men fought 
 at "Bakalava" and at "Inkermann," and knew when and how to 
 die. They died as they had lived "true to God and to country," 
 and a high tribute was paid by their commander, General Wade 
 
430 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Hampton, who had witnessed their gallantry on more than one 
 field. On an occasion General Hampton was ricljng with General 
 Lee, and came opposite the "Dragoons." General Lee was 
 attracted by the general appearance of the men, and in his gentle, 
 quiet way, asked General Hampton: "General, what command 
 is that?" The answer came with pride and tenderness in the tone : 
 "General Lee, it is the Charleston Light Dragoons, and, sir, I 
 would rather be a private soldier of that command than wear 
 today the decoration of the Legion of Honor. r 
 
 Like wine, time sometimes flavors records of men and horses. 
 Two of the oldest cavalry companies, "Dragoons," in fact today 
 are the "Philadelphia City Troop" and the "Charleston Light 
 Dragoons." For a principle they each of them fought in 1776, 
 and for the same reason in 1861-1865. In the latter years one 
 represented the blue, the other the gray. Each maintained its 
 organization, and when the time comes, rest assured that where 
 duty calls these men of the "Old Dragoons" will ever be found. 
 Thank God that we have living today a man who wore the "gray." 
 high up in rank, great in military achievements, and who is 
 willing to award to the private soldier of the Confederacy of 
 every branch of service the glory that belongs to each. But 
 the old cavalry commander from South Carolina is devoted to 
 the history of his command, and M. C. Butler has placed chaplets 
 of laurels upon the monument to the "Dragoons" and measured 
 out to the survivors the full measure of credit due a command as 
 faithful in life, as were they in death, to a cause where time 
 honors alike memories of the living and of the glorious dead. 
 
 The winding up of affair s at the city of Fayetteville was has 
 tened, Sherman, with his 70,000 men, halted until his pontoon 
 bridge could be put down. On the 12th of March, suffering from 
 a wound received at "Campbell s Mill," General Butler sent me 
 with Bernard King, the famous scout, to Raleigh, where I might 
 be with my friend Nat Butler, who was beloved by staff and 
 couriers alike. Any man who has served on the cavalry head 
 quarters or staff can fully understand the kind relations existing 
 between the general and his household the tenderest sentiment 
 exists a sympathy for chief and staff, for orderlies and couriers. 
 We found my wounded friend nicely quartered at Major Deve- 
 reaux s house with Captain James Butler and Edmund. General 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 431 
 
 Butler s faithful body servant, at his side. I was so thankful 
 that I was able to help nurse the wounded soldier boy. Dr. 
 Warren, the surgeon, when asked by me what I should do, said : 
 "Poor Nat is so low, if you can keep him mad all the time we will 
 pull him through." Major Devereaux s beautiful daughters, 
 "Miss Agnes" and "Miss Kate," would bring every delicacy they 
 could think of but from no hands save mine would he touch 
 food. He died in the prime of his life on the 12th day of April, 
 1877, at the Planter s Hotel, Augusta, Ga. 
 
 "No more shall the war cry sever, 
 
 Or the winding rivers be red ; 
 They banish our anger forever 
 
 When they laurel the graves of our dead 
 Under the sod and the dew ; 
 
 Waiting the judgment day, 
 Love and tears for the blue, 
 
 Tears and love for the gray." 
 
432 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 HEROIC DEEDS 
 
 In the beautiful Battery Park of Charleston is a monument 
 erected to Sergeant Jasper, of Kevolutionary fame. He was in 
 Fort Moultrie during the attack by the British fleet. The flag 
 staff on the fort was shot away, and the flag fell in front of the 
 fort. Jasper, exclaiming, "Don t let us fight without our flag," 
 jumped down, seized the flag, brought it into the fort, and under 
 the fire of the British fleet, attached it to a sponge staff and 
 stuck it up on the parapet. 
 
 During one of Admiral Nelson s sea fights, it is recorded that a 
 shell from one of the enemy s ships fell upon the deck of Nelson s 
 ship, the fuse of the bomb was burning and it was about to 
 explode; if it had exploded many men on the ship would have 
 been killed; an English sailor boy, quick as thought, seized the 
 smoking shell and tossed it into the sea, thus saving the lives of 
 many aboard. 
 
 These were brave acts, and the deserving fame of these two 
 heroes has been handed down to posterity in song and story. 
 While unwilling to pluck one leaf from the wreath of fame so 
 worthily won by these brave men, it is a well-known fact that 
 acts of equal daring as the ones alluded to were performed daily 
 by heroes of both the "gray and the blue" engaged in the War 
 of Secession. There were many brave and gallant men among 
 our then enemies. In fact heroic deeds were so common as only 
 to excite passing notice, a^nd were soon forgotten. I will recall 
 two instances of a similar nature to the ones of Jasper and the 
 Nelson hero, performed by two Charleston boys. During the 
 bombardment of Fort Sumter by the Federal fleet, the flagstaff 
 on the fort flying the Confederate colors was repeatedly shot 
 down ; it was immediately replaced by some daring boy in gray. 
 One occasion when the entire attacking fleet of ironclads and 
 other war vessels were pouring their shot upon the fort, and it 
 was considered certain death for any one to be exposed a moment 
 upon the parapet, a portion of the flagstaff near the top was shot 
 away, carrying the flag with it. As soon as it fell dozens of the 
 garrison sprang forward to get and replace the fallen flag. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 433 
 
 Young James Tupper, Jr., of Charleston, was the first to seize 
 the flag. Rushing upon the parapet, with a hammer and nails 
 (the ropes for hoisting the flag being shot away), he climbed 
 the broken staff to the top and nailed the flag there, returning to 
 the bomb-proof as if he had done nothing unusual. I am {old 
 that sailors on the fleet, while he was replacing the flag, realizing 
 his heroism, stopped their shooting and cheered him. There is no 
 question that Tupper s feat was a more daring one than Jasper s. 
 
 Lieutenant Alston was serving coffee one day to his men in 
 Fort Sumter. They were huddled for protection close to an inner 
 wall of the fort. A mortar shell dropped among them; it was 
 about to explode, when Lieutenant Alston, putting down the 
 coffee pot, picked up the shell and threw it into a deep hole made 
 by one of the large shells of the fleet, and the bomb, bursting, did 
 no damage. He resumed his duty of pouring out coffee for his 
 men as if nothing had occurred. 
 
 Every man in Butler s Cavalry loved and admired him (But 
 ler). They always saw him around when any fighting was going 
 on, and felt that no matter how tight a place he ordered them into, 
 they had to "hold the fort" until he brought them out. It would 
 be more than any one could do to record the many and daily 
 deeds of valor performed by Butler s Cavalry, and the individual 
 heroism of his men. The surprise and attack on Kilpatrick s 
 camp, during the march of Sherman through North Carolina, I 
 will only mention, among the many thrilling incidents witnessed 
 that day, one in which Lieutenant John P. DeVeaux, of Charles 
 ton, Company D, Fifth South Carolina Cavalry, figured. 
 DeVeaux was on all occasions one of the bravest men I have ever 
 known; never hesitating an instant to risk his life for a friend. 
 I knew that General Butler was a frequent witness to his bravery, 
 and I have often seen him select Lieutenant DeVeaux for some 
 very dangerous mission. During the hot hand-to-hand fight in 
 Kilpatrick s camp a battery of artillery on a slight hill, a little 
 distance from where we were engaged, was playing havoc with 
 our men, discharging double loads of schrapnel into us. Some 
 of Butler s command commenced to concentrate their fire upon 
 the men working these guns, and soon killed or knocked out all 
 who were serving the guns except one lieutenant. He seemed to 
 bear a charmed life, and bravely loaded and fired the one gun 
 
 28 B. C. 
 
434 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 left. DeVeaux called for some men to charge this battery with 
 him; there was so much noise and confusion incident to such 
 close fighting that he and Captain John Humphries of the Sixth 
 regiment, and Glenn Davis were the only ones to charge towards 
 this battery. The Yankee lieutenant serving the gun pulled the 
 lanyard and discharged the load of schrapnel when they were a 
 short distance from the muzzle of the cannon. Lieutenant 
 DeVeaux was shot in five places, fortunately no bones were shat 
 tered. Captain Humphries was shot in the arm, afterwards 
 died of his wound in Charlotte, N. C., from delayed amputation. 
 Both of their horses were killed. When we saw DeVeaux and 
 Humphries shot down, some of our men charged up to this bat 
 tery, served so gallantly by this brave and cool Yankee, and while 
 he was in the act of reloading, killed him with a pistol shot. 
 General Butler, who witnessed the killing of the Federal lieu 
 tenant, said it was a shame to have to kill such a brave fellow. 
 
 My friend Flinn Davis (who died in Louisville, Ky., many 
 years after the war) was taken prisoner while on picket on the 
 7th March, 1865, by Kilpatrick s Cavalry, three days before the 
 surprise of his camp, and was in the camp with several hundred 
 other Confederate prisoners when we entered, surprised Kil- 
 patrick, and released all of the prisoners. He was treated very 
 cruelly by Kilpatrick s men who captured him they seemed to 
 be particularly bitter against Butler s Cavalry, and did not give 
 him anything to eat during the three days that they had him. He 
 managed to pick up an ear of corn in the muddy road while they 
 were marching with him, and putting it in his pocket without 
 their seeing it, pinching off a grain occasionally and slipping it 
 to his mouth. You may imagine when we released him, that he 
 was hungry. The first thing that he did when the fighting com 
 menced in the camp was to seize a camp kettle that some of the 
 Yankees had on a fire, and sitting on the ground with the kettle 
 was eating its contents ravenously when a bullet went through 
 the bottom of it. General Butler rode by and, seeing him, said: 
 "Well, Davis, what are you doing?" "I am getting a little bite, 
 General," he replied, "the first in three days; will be with the 
 boys in a minute." 
 
 One of Kilpatrick s men who was guarding our men, who were 
 taken prisoners, up to the time we released them, was a large 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 435 
 
 Dutchman, a very cruel fellow. He frequently struck the pris 
 oners with the flat of his sabre, kicked them and otherwise 
 maltreated them. Many swore vengeance upon him, and they 
 determined to get even with him if an opportunity occurred. 
 They called him "Dutchey," behind his back, of course. 
 
 When Flinn Davis finished with the camp kettle he picked up 
 an abandoned Winchester rifle, mounted a fine horse (whose rider 
 was persuaded to dismount by a navy bullet in his breast) and 
 with the two pistols handed him by one of his brothers, they were 
 making things lively in that vicinity. Flinn asked one of the 
 recently released prisoners who was fighting near him if he had 
 seen "Dutchey." The man said yes, that he was behind that big 
 blazed pine tree (pointing to it). Flinn wanted just one shot at 
 him. "Dutchey" never moved from the tree, because he was 
 loaded down with lead and was dead. The released prisoners 
 paid him special attention as soon as the Rebel yell of Butler s 
 men was heard in the camp. Moral: Be kind to those in your 
 power, for we know not what a day will bring forth. 
 
 Captain Nathan Davis was on General Hampton s staff during 
 the War of Secession and was his intimate friend. General 
 Hampton told Captain Davis one day in 1864 that he wanted a 
 small Colt s pistol, and Captain Davis notified his nephew, Glenn 
 E. Davis, of General Hampton s desire. About a week after, 
 Glenn pulled in a Yankee lieutenant and was much gratified to 
 find that the Yank had exactly the kind of a pistol General 
 Hampton wanted, and immediately relieved him of a beautiful 
 ivory-handled small Colt, also a belt of cartridges, and carried 
 the pistol to headquarters, where he found the great cavalry 
 leader seated on a camp stool and gave him the pistol, and in 
 answer to an inquiry told how he got possession of it. Hampton 
 admired the gun very much, said it was just the thing he wanted, 
 and seeing that the belt contained a number of cartridges, said 
 he would shoot off the loads and load it with fresh cartridges. 
 He selected a small tree not larger than a man s arm about twenty 
 yards off, and quickly put every bullet in it; some of the shots 
 were a foot or more apart, but all were line shots, and every one 
 would have been a body hit to a man at that distance. Glenn 
 Davis admired his shooting, but told him he would not give his 
 pair of Navies for fifty little guns like his. A man could be filled 
 
436 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 with bullets at that distance and still be able to shoot back at you, 
 but one ball from a large pistol like one of his Navies, at four 
 times that distance, hitting him fair, would paralyze him. Gen 
 eral Hampton said that he did not expect to use the gun unless 
 in very close quarters and told Glenn that he never took sight 
 when shooting a pistol, that he looked at the object alone and 
 pulled as soon as he raised the gun, not waiting a second; that 
 nine times out of ten one could make a very close shot that way. 
 Davis told him that he doubted if many knew that. Glenn Davis 
 said that his experience in shooting at an animated target was 
 that he always did that, and seldom failed to land a bullet where 
 he wanted. The general then related an incident to Davis which 
 very few knew. He said that before the war he used a Colt s 
 revolver frequently in his numerous hunts. The old style of 
 pistol then had smooth cylinders that contained the lead. On one 
 occasion this cylinder burst when the general was shooting it. 
 He saw that if the cylinders were grooved the pressure when fired 
 would be more equalized and the danger of bursting would be 
 obviated. General Hampton then wrote to Colt, the head of the 
 arms factory, and explained fully his idea, telling him if he 
 agreed with him he could use the suggestion as his own. Colt 
 patented the invention and sent General Hampton a very fine 
 pistol specially made, and thanked him for the idea. Colt s was 
 the first factory to turn out these improved grooved-cylinder 
 pistols and made much money by it. All pistols are now made 
 in this manner. 
 
 General Hampton did some mighty good work with his little 
 ivory-handled pistol on the llth March, 1865, when he led the 
 charge in the streets of Fayetteville, N. C., so graphically 
 described by Hugh Scott. 
 
 Glenn Davis saw General Hampton while right in the midst 
 of the flying Yankees shoot down three with the little ivory- 
 handled pistol, and also saw him kill a sergeant, and when Glenn 
 was coming back from the charge he dismounted to see what this 
 sergeant had of value and appropriated the Yank s suspenders a 
 beautiful pair of silk elastic ones. I am satisfied they were the 
 finest if not the only pair of silk suspenders at that time not on 
 Yankee shoulders in the Southern Confederacy. Glenn wore 
 them many years after the war. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 437 
 
 The men in Butler s division looked upon him as perfection as 
 a cavalry leader. These brigades were commanded by Dunovant, 
 Young and Rosser. 
 
 On the 1st October, 1864, when General Dunovant was killed, 
 General P. M. B. Young rode with one aide down a road in front 
 of where his command was righting. He halted, being some dis 
 tance from the men, and intently observed the enemy through his 
 field glasses. Happening to look back, he saw a group of Yankee 
 officers mounted in the road between him and his men. He saw 
 in an instant that it was important for him to regain his com 
 mand as soon as possible. Putting spurs to his horse (he was 
 always splendidly mounted) he dashed at full speed, hoping to 
 pass them. He had only two things to do, either to be captured 
 or run past them. They saw him coming, and when near, with 
 level pistols, called to him to surrender. Not halting, they 
 greeted him with a shower of bullets. When passing one of 
 these Yankee officers near enough to touch him, he was called 
 upon to surrender. "Surrender hell," said Young, and passing 
 him like the wind he gave the Yankee a cut across his face with 
 his riding switch (he had no weapon), and was soon safe among 
 his men. Some days after we learned from prisoners that the 
 officer cut by General Young bore the mark across his face and 
 was much ridiculed by his brother officers. General P. M. B. 
 Young, after the Avar, served several terms in congress with 
 ability. He joined the "silent majority" several years ago. 
 
 On the 16th day of November, 1863, in the fight at Campbell s 
 Station, East Tennessee, General M. W. Gary was hard pressed 
 and was falling back, but was contesting every inch of ground, 
 and promoted two men of his command on the battlefield in the 
 most unique way, which doubtless has no parallel in history. 
 The same day he had orders to that effect read on parade one to 
 be captain for "distinguished piety on the battlefield," and the 
 other to command a company for "extraordinary profanity." 
 It happened in this way: The general, as all knew him, was 
 paramount a fighter and had the gift of profanity to an extra 
 ordinary degree. He used to say that there was nothing like 
 "cussing" to make men obey an order quickly. He had very little 
 faith in the fighting qualities of Avhat he called a psalm singer, 
 but he admitted that he had done the pious man an injustice. 
 
438 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 On this occasion at Campbell s Station, Tenn., 16th November, 
 1863, his command had to retreat rapidly from overwhelming 
 numbers, and his killed and wounded were left where they fell. 
 A man in his command was shot and fell mortally wounded. 
 His comrades left him on the field, but when the "psalm singer." 
 the Rev. William Thomas, came along, he stopped, and kneeling 
 down beside the dying soldier proceeded to offer up a prayer and 
 to take his last messages to his family. Some of the enemy, seeing 
 him stop on the field, commenced a rapid fire upon him; he, 
 regardless of the flying bullets, stayed the few minutes until the 
 soul of the wounded comrade took its flight. The enemy stopped 
 firing upon the pious and brave soldier, and he was cheered both 
 by his retreating comrades and the advancing foe. General Gary 
 complimented him upon his bravery, and told him he would 
 make him chaplain for "distinguished piety" on the battlefield. 
 
 Now the "cussing" man won his promotion in this wise: It 
 was the custom of General Gary to visit his picket posts very 
 frequently. While on his rounds one dark and rainy night he 
 met a cavalryman in the road. Knowing that this man had no 
 business to be out of camp, General Gary, with a string of cuss 
 words, demanded who he was and what company he belonged to. 
 The lone cavalryman, not knowing the rank of his questioner, 
 "cussed back" at the general, and, as the general expressed it, 
 made the "air blue with cuss words" ; he had struck at last a man 
 who could out-curse him. Finally he persuaded, by mild words, 
 the cavalry man to inform him that he was a sergeant in one of 
 the companies of General (Jjary s command. This company, in a 
 recent fight, had lost all of its officers. The general complimented 
 the soldier on his swearing abilities, and said he was just the man 
 to command that company. The next day an order was issued 
 promoting the brave religious man to be chaplain of his regi 
 ment for "distinguished piety on the battlefield," and the 
 "cussing" man to the command of his company for "extraor 
 dinary profanity." 
 
 General Mart Gary was a gallant officer in the war, and in 1876 
 did much to help redeem the State. He was devoted to his 
 mother. He died at his home in Edgefield village 9th April, 
 1881, and the next day his devoted mother died at Cokesbury, 
 

 GENEEAL M. W. GABY 
 
440 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 S. C. The remains of this gallant officer are buried by the side 
 of his mother at old Tabernacle Church, near Cokesbury. 
 
 The Rev. William Thomas, whose prayers over a dying com 
 rade caused two armies to cease firing and cheer him on the battle 
 field because he represented Him who suffered and died on the 
 cross for us all, died 1st December, 1890. Mr. Thomas was a 
 Christian. A Christian is not a mere name or empty profession ; 
 it is a great and noble work, a work of difficulty which requires 
 assiduous application and continual pains, and in which the 
 greater our endeavors and advances have been with the greater 
 ardor do we continually strive to advance higher towards per 
 fection. 
 
 There is a tie between old soldiers that none but old soldiers 
 can understand. After the war the Rev. William Thomas was 
 called to Edgefield, S. C., and when General Gary heard that the 
 Methodist parsonage needed furniture the necessary articles were 
 soon in the house at no cost to Mr. Thomas. When General Gary 
 died his old friend and comrade, Mr. Thomas, preached his 
 funeral. 
 
 The survivors of these stirring times are rapidly passing away, 
 and soon there will be none to recall their brave deeds. The souls 
 of those giving their lives for their country certainly find the 
 gates of Paradise open to them. 
 
 "Oh ! if there be, on this earthly sphere, 
 A boon or an offering that Heaven holds dear ; 
 Tis the last libation that liberty draws 
 From the heart that bleeds and breaks in her cause." 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 441 
 
 THE CITADEL BOYS 
 
 Spartanburg, S. C., July 27, 1908. 
 Colonel U. R. Brooks, Columbia, S. C. 
 
 DEAR SIR : Your letters in The State are always interesting 
 the last one more particularly, as it deals with incidents in which 
 I participated. I was in the Citadel Cadet Corps Brigade in 
 General Stephen Elliott s brigade. We fought on the skirmish 
 line near Fayetteville all day before Hampton s fray in the streets, 
 built three lines of rifle pits with our bayonets, tin cups and tin 
 plates, completing the last one at 2 o clock on the morning 
 referred to, and passed through the city and over the river just 
 about 3 a. m. Camped in a pine barren, a mile beyond the river, 
 and fell asleep on falling down just where we stopped, without 
 rations all day and the day before. I was called early the next 
 morning, as cadet corporal Company A that grand company of 
 boys, whom Governor Thompson in an address before the alumni 
 at Charleston challenged the world to equal for bravery and loy 
 alty to duty to take ten men from each company in our brigade, 
 and, with axes and spades, fell the trees and charge the breast 
 works on the north side of the Cape Fear River, so that we might 
 protect Hampton and Butler as they crossed the river thus 
 enabling us to fire over the river at their following enemies. 
 These breatsworks were built to defend Fayetteville from the 
 north. We charged them hurriedly to defend Hampton as he 
 crossed to the north from Fayetteville. I had barely completed 
 these tasks and had placed my men above and below the bridge 
 to fire on the enemy as they followed closely on Hampton s rear 
 guard, when his advance struck the bridge in a gallop. Then the 
 shells began to fall all over the old field, which lay on the north 
 side of the river in our rear, as we lay on the banks of the river. 
 
 General Hampton, the last time I saw him during the war, 
 called me and said, kindly remembering me as a cadet when he 
 relied on our corps two years before: "My dear boy, get your 
 men out of here as soon as possible. Scatter them out all over 
 this old field, as I am doing my men, so they can t get you in a 
 bunch." Well, we scattered, and the shells that fell around us 
 
442 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 so glibly aided us to move up lively. I did not regain my com 
 mand until dark that night and still without rations except one 
 goose that had been captured that day by one of our mess. "We 
 cooked it all night, with flour dumplings, made up of cold water 
 without shortening. But it was a delightful breakfast anyway. 
 That day we advanced to the front of Hardee s army and carried 
 there some prisoners that Hampton and Butler had captured in 
 their fight described in your article on Kilpatrick s defeat. On 
 to Raleigh ahead of the army, where we left them in charge of 
 others and we returned to South Carolina, and were stationed at 
 Spartanburg and Greenville to head off Kirk s raiders, who were 
 threatening these two places with their presence. How I won 
 dered when I read of the fight of our gallant brothers in their 
 fight. The Citadel boys in Humphrey s company, they were 
 alongside each other, each doing his duty for his country and 
 neither knowing the presence of the other. Humphreys killed, 
 dear old Gabe Hodges wounded; these two knightly gentlemen 
 were bosom friends of my own. Had I known of their distress, 
 hampered as I was with my own duties, I would have made many 
 efforts to see them. Gabe Hodges, how I remember him, and 
 dear Dick Quattlebaum, another cadet who lost his life with 
 Colonel Fleming in the crater at Petersburg; brave and gallant 
 gentlemen, without fear and without reproach. Poor Hodges 
 lived to die a horrible death from an accident in his cotton gin. 
 The other two, with many others, as gallant boys as ever followed 
 any flag John Neill, Nichols, of Sumter, Patterson and many 
 others. 
 
 The Citadel needs no veil to cover her gallant boys. She is 
 proud of their record and will ever be for all who leave her 
 portals have imbibed enough of honor and pride to make them 
 ever and always patriots and defenders of all that is honorable 
 and glorious. I couldn t refrain from this communication, as it 
 stirred up the depths of my heart to know that side by side, 
 waiting to work, we were all there, each fighting in his own com 
 pany and each doing his exalted duty and neither knowing the 
 others were there. How glad had we -known of this. 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 GEO. R. DEAN. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 443 
 
 GENERAL KILPATRICK S NARROW ESCAPE 
 
 BY GENERAL M. C. BUTLER. 
 
 We had marched all the day preceding the morning of the 
 attack on Kilpatrick s camp in North Carolina, March 10, 1865, 
 in a drenching rain. My division was in front. Humphrey s 
 squadron of the Sixth Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, But 
 ler s brigade, commanded by General E. M. Law, was the advance 
 guard of the column, Wheeler s division bringing up the rear. 
 
 About dusk Humphrey halted at the intersection of a road 
 leading toward Fayetteville, and upon my riding up to learn the 
 cause, he pointed out the sign of a heavy mounted column having 
 recently passed ahead of us, evidently Kilpatrick s cavalry, of 
 Sherman s army. While we were discussing the situation we 
 discovered a squad of about thirty cavalrymen coming up the 
 road. On learning from Humphrey that he had nobody down 
 that road, I moved out to meet the squad, and when within hail 
 ing distance, it being too dark to recognize who they were, I 
 asked, "Who comes there?" The reply was, "Fifth Kentucky." 
 I knew that to be one of Kilpatrick s regiment. So I said to the 
 man at the head of the column, "Ride up, sir; I want to speak 
 with you." Kilpatrick s column having just passed, of which I 
 have no doubt this squad was the rear guard, the man, who turned 
 out to be the officer in command, rode up to me with his orderly, 
 supposing I was a friend. They followed me a few steps into 
 the midst of Humphrey s men, leaving the squad halted in the 
 road. I turned, with my pistol presented, and demanded the sur 
 render of the two. Nothing else was left for them to do. After 
 disarming the prisoners, I whispered to Humphey, General Law 
 having ridden up, to send out, surround the squad of the Fifth 
 Kentucky, and take them in. He very promptly carried out the 
 instructions and brought in the twenty-eight or thirty men, with 
 a regimental stand of colors, without firing a shot. 
 
 On my reporting these facts to General Hampton, he decided 
 to attack Kilpatrick at daylight next morning. I accordingly 
 followed in his wake about four miles, and bivouacked on the 
 
444 BVTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 roadside without unsaddling or making fires, although it was a 
 cold, rainy March night, in the open pine w<)ods. I established 
 my headquarters for the night on the road, and with a pine root 
 for a pillow slept on the ground, with my bridle on my arm, 
 covered with my overcoat. I threw out a line of dismounted 
 skirmishers in front, with videttes Avell in advance of the skir 
 mishers. Soon after the videttes were posted one of Kilpatrick s 
 lieutenants rode into our lines, and was brought to my head 
 quarters. Getting all possible information from him, as to the 
 location of Kilpatrick s headquarters, about midnight we recon- 
 noitered, and found he had no pickets out to guard his rear, which 
 enabled us to ride almost up to his campfires without being dis 
 covered. He had moved round the head of a swamp and pitched 
 his camp in front of it, with his rear and right protected by the 
 swamp, but his left entirely exposed. 
 
 It was agreed between Generals Hampton, Wheeler and myself 
 that we would attack at daylight next morning; that, inasmuch 
 as Wheeler s command was stretched back for some miles in 
 column of fours, I should close up my division in column of regi 
 ments and be prepared to move when the head of Wheeler s 
 column appeared in my rear; that I should follow up the road 
 taken by Kilpatrick, move around the head of the swamp, as he 
 had done, and fall suddenly on his camp from that (the west) 
 side, while Wheeler was to move through the woods to the right 
 and attack from the rear. Young s brigade, commanded by 
 Colonel Gid Wright, of the Cobb Legion, was moved to the 
 front, having occupied the rear in the day s march. I sent for 
 Colonel Wright, informed him of our plans, and directed him to 
 select a prudent but bold captain to lead the advance squadron 
 in the attack, and that he should follow close on the attacking 
 squadron and throw T a regiment at the time into the camp, and 
 that I would be in striking distance, with Law in command of my 
 old brigade. Colonel Wright selected Captain Bostick, and 
 ordered him to report to me for instructions. After describing 
 the location of the house in which Kilpatrick was stopping, I 
 ordered him, on entering his camp at daylight, to rush straight 
 for the house, surround it, and hold his position until we could 
 come to his assistance ; that I wished to take Kilpatrick prisoner. 
 Having completed all arrangements, I gave the order to advance. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-186.5. 445 
 
 Just as the day was dawning, in a murky, misty morning, Wright 
 moved promptly, and I followed immediately in his rear, at a 
 trot, with the other brigades. As I turned the head of the swamp 
 and struck the camp I witnessed a scene of confusion and dis 
 turbance such as I had never seen before. Kilpatrick did not 
 have a vidette or picket out, or, as far as I could see, not even a 
 camp guard. The result was, we found his men asleep and taken 
 entirely by surprise. I had not advanced far into the camp 
 when I was astonished to meet a hundred and thirty or forty 
 Confederates rushing wildly toward us. At first I thought Wright 
 had been repulsed, but it turned out they were prisoners whom 
 Kilpatrick had taken, and whom Wright s vigorous and unex 
 pected onslaught had released from their guards, and they were 
 making good their escape. I sent them on to the rear and moved 
 on, passed Kilpatrick s headquarters, through his artillery, wagon 
 and ambulance train. Anticipating that Wright s command 
 would become scattered, I halted Law near the entrance to the 
 camp to take charge of the prisoners, etc. Wright had gone clear 
 through the camp, and, of course, his command was much scat 
 tered. I, therefore, halted in the midst of the camp and sent 
 back for Law to move in, complete the capture and take posses 
 sion. To my dismay, I learned that General Hampton, without 
 my knowledge, had ordered Law to some other point, so that my 
 messenger could not find him. I then hoped for the arrival of 
 Wheeler s command from the other side. He came through him 
 self with a few of his staff and escort. He rode up and inquired 
 about my command. I replied, "Scattered like the devil; where 
 is yours?" He said he had encountered a bog through which his 
 division could not pass, and that he had ordered it to make a 
 circuit to the left and come around on my track. This, of course, 
 took time, and in the meantime Kilpatrick s 1,500 dismounted men 
 had recovered from the shock of our first attack and gathered 
 themselves behind pine trees, and with their rapid-firing Spencer- 
 carbines attacked us savagely and finally drove us out. I man 
 aged to gather up fragments of Wright s brigade and charged 
 the rallying Federals, but they had got to their artillery and, with 
 their carbines, made it so hot for the handful of us that we had to 
 retire. It was at the head of this charge that Lieutenant-Colonel 
 
446 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 King, of the Cobb Legion, was killed. In fact, I lost sixty-two 
 men there in about five minutes time. 
 
 While I was sitting on my horse near Kilpatrick s artillery and 
 wagons, hoping for Wheeler or Law, I witnessed one of the most 
 remarkable duels between two men on horseback that I had ever 
 heard of. As I have observed, I rode into the midst of Kil 
 patrick s camp, passed his headquarters, and, as Wright had 
 swept through from our side of attack, I concluded they were 
 ours, especially as I expected Wheeler to come in from the other 
 side and clinch the work. You may imagine my surprise, then, 
 when I discovered a mounted man approaching us and showing 
 fight. This was before the dismounted men had rallied. About 
 the same time I noticed a Confederate moving out to meet him, 
 who, I supposed, was a member of the Cobb Legion. His back 
 was to me, and I could not identify him in the early dawn. How 
 ever, I said to myself, "They are about matched ; I will see it out 
 without interfering." They got within about ten paces of each 
 other, when the Federal fired first, followed in an instant by a 
 shot from the Confederate s revolver. The Federal fired a second 
 time, and the Confederate fired almost simultaneouly, and, I dis 
 covered, hit his antagonist, but the Federal managed to fire a 
 third shot, and with the report of the Confederate s third fire the 
 Federal tumbled from his horse, mortally wounded. I dismissed 
 the matter from my mind, and was surprised afterward to learn 
 that the Confederate was my brother, Captain James Butler, who 
 had come from the Trans-Mississippi department, where he had 
 commanded a company of partisans with Price and McCullough, 
 and was serving temporarily on my staff. It was the gamest fight 
 I ever saw, and there I was, a silent spectator, without suspecting 
 that my own brother was one of the parties to a duel aV outrance. 
 
 And now for the sequel. In a conversation with General Kil- 
 patrick about this affair, after the war, he told me he had walked 
 out in his slippers about daylight, as was his usual custom, and 
 scarcely got out of the house when he heard the "Rebel yell." He 
 said he thought to himself, "Here is four years hard fighting for 
 a major-general s commission gone up with a surprise"; that in a 
 very few minutes a Rebel dashed up to him and asked, "Where is 
 General Kilpatrick?" to which, he said, he replied, "There he goes 
 on that black horse," pointing to a man making off on a black 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 447 
 
 horse; that thereupon the Rebel pursued the man on the black 
 horse, and that he (Kilpatrick) then mounted the nearest horse, 
 in his night clothes, and escaped. 
 
 My theory has always been that the man who accosted Kil 
 patrick was Captain Bostick, and being anxious to take him 
 prisoner, was misled by Kilpatrick s ruse. At any rate, we did 
 not get him, but took in 475 of his men as prisoners, and resumed 
 our march towards Fayetteville, which was not many miles to the 
 north of us. 
 
448 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 THE SCENES OF A YANKEE MARCH 
 
 A short time previous to the final attack on Port Henry, the 
 Yankees, several thousand strong, marched out to a reconnoisance 
 in force in that direction. The scenes of the return march are 
 thus described by a correspondent of the Chicago Tribune : 
 
 "The march has been, I am sorry to say, a most disgraceful one. 
 Pillage, arson, murder, have been its accompaniments. The pop 
 ulation have fled precipitately before the approach of the column, 
 and their houses have been stripped of everything portable, useful 
 or otherwise and that which was not portable has been 
 destroyed. One fine country residence was burned to the ground, 
 and another was fired and partially burnt. A fine tobacco house 
 was laid in ruins. From the village of Mayfield to the Tennessee 
 Eiver if there is a domestic fowl, calf, pig or anything living that 
 could furnish food for men disgusted with hard bread and salt 
 meat, left alive, it is because it failed to be discovered. The vil 
 lage of Murray was literally pillaged of everything. Stores, 
 shops and houses were broken open, and everything that could 
 appeal to a soldier s fancy taken away. We have been followed 
 into this camp by scores of farmers searching for mules and horses 
 that have been driven off by the straggling soldiers. A general 
 order has been issued to commanders of regiments to have all 
 such property turned loose before leaving this place. A strag 
 gling soldier on the march was accosted by a citizen on discov 
 ering him behind his premises, when words ran high, resulting in 
 a taunt from the citizen that the Yankee soldiers were all d d 
 cowards, whereupon the soldier deliberately fixed his bayonet 
 and ran the citizen through, killing him instantly. It is reported 
 that a citizen of Mayfield was shot by the soldiery. Still another 
 case of a person being killed between Murray and this place is 
 reported. The citizens, maddened to frenzy, have finally armed 
 themselves as best they can, and are hanging on our rear, shooting 
 down stragglers. Pickets are also suffering the consequences of 
 this inhuman warfare ; two pickets of the Second Illinois Cavalry 
 who were out night before last have not returned nor been heard 
 from. The consequences of such a march through a territory of 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 449 
 
 which a portion of the inhabitants at least are friends, and all 
 sought to be made such, must be apparent to all. Our enemies 
 will be multiplied and our friends proportionately decreased. 
 The people of western Kentucky have had a severe lesson, and 
 will hereafter shudder at the announcement of the approach of 
 the Federal army." 
 
 Port Henry fell into the hands of the Yankees on the 6th Feb 
 ruary, 1862. 
 
 What Sherman did on his march through Georgia and the 
 Carolinas was much worse than the above, which reminds us of 
 a young man when he went to see his sweetheart. She said, 
 "Darling, please tell me the difference between a jackass and a 
 mule." "Why," he says, "my dear, a jackass is just like a mule, 
 only a little more so." 
 
 My desire is to publish nothing but the truth and to state the 
 facts as they happened as near as possible. As Dick Wash said 
 to Stan Griffin when he was cursing the preacher at Antioch 
 church : "State facts, Stan Stan, state facts," as he patted him 
 on the shoulder. 
 
 Captain Daniel Oakley, of the Second Regiment, Massachusetts 
 Volunteers, in "Battles and Leaders," says this : "It was sad to 
 see the wanton destruction of property, which was the work of 
 bummers who were marauding through the country committing 
 every sort of outrage; there was no restraint, except with the 
 column or the regular foraging parties. The country was neces 
 sarily left to take care of itself and become a howling waste. 
 The coffee coolers of the Army of the Potomac were archangels 
 compared to our bummers, who often fell to the tender mercies of 
 Wheeler s Cavalry and were never heard of again, meeting a fate 
 richly deserved." 
 
 Another Northern soldier, writing for the Detroit Free Press, 
 gives the following account: After describing the burning of 
 Marietta, in which the writer says, among others things, "Soldiers 
 rode from house to house, entered without ceremony, and kindled 
 fires in garrets and closets and stood by to see that they were not 
 extinguished." Again he says: "At the very beginning of the 
 campaign at Dalton the Federal soldiery had received encourage 
 ment to become vandals. When Sherman cut loose from Atlanta 
 everybody had license to throw off restraint and make Georgia 
 
 29 B. C. 
 
450 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 drain the bitter cup. The Federal who wants to learn what it 
 was to license an army to become vandals shguld mount a horse 
 at Atlanta and follow Sherman s route for fifty miles. He can 
 hear stories from the lips of women that would make him 
 ashamed of the flag that waved over him as he went into battle. 
 When the army had passed nothing was left but a trail of deso 
 lation and despair. No houses escaped robbery, no woman 
 escaped insult, no building escaped firebrand, except by some 
 strange interposition. War may license an army to subsist on 
 the enemy, but civilized warfare stops at live stock, forage and 
 provisions. It does not enter the houses of the sick and helpless 
 and rob women of their finger rings and carry off their clothing." 
 
 The above was simply "hell broke loose in Georgia." 
 
 Alexander H. Stephens, the vice-president of the Confederate 
 States, who was one of the greatest men that Georgia ever pro 
 duced, said in one of his speeches advising against secession 
 before the State seceded, that in case Georgia did secede, that 
 large armies would invade the country. But he did not realize 
 how terrible it would be. 
 
 Like the preacher at sea in a great storm. When the boat was 
 tossing and the waves running high, the reverend gentleman said 
 to the captain, "Do you think we are in much danger?" and when 
 the good captain said, "Yes, we will all be in heaven in five 
 minutes," the preached exclaimed, "Oh, Captain, you don t think 
 it can be that bad." 
 
 In Savannah General Sherman said that he would take his 
 gloves off in South Carolina and he did. Sherman s army intro 
 duced the nameless crime in our country such a thing was never 
 heard of before in our State. 
 
 Butler s cavalry would shoot these brutes down like so many 
 mad dogs. Every one of Sherman s "bummers" when captured 
 would exclaim, "Please don t shoot me," and would offer our 
 cavalry something that they had stolen to spare their lives. I sup 
 pose they thought they ought to have been killed. On the after 
 noon of the 21st February, 1865, General Butler and his couriers 
 charged some "bummers" and they scattered through the woods 
 like so many wild turkeys. The one I captured offered me a 
 lady s beautiful riding whip and begged me not to kill him. He 
 had thrown his weapons away before I caught him. It was 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 451 
 
 fortunate for me that he had, for my pistol was empty, so I 
 double-quicked him to General Butler. I take the following from 
 a Yankee history, "Kilpatrick and Our Cavalry," by James 
 Moore, M. D. : 
 
 Headquarters Military Division of the Mississippi. 
 
 In the Field, February 24, 1865. 
 Lieutenant-General Wade Hampton, Commanding Cavalry Forces, C. 8. A. 
 
 GENEBAL: It is officially reported to me that our foraging parties are 
 murdered after capture and labelled, "Death to all foragers." One instance 
 of a lieutenant and seven men near Chesterfield, and another of twenty 
 near a ravine eighty rods from the main road about three miles from 
 Feasterville. I have ordered a similar number of prisoners in our hands to 
 be disposed of in like manner. I hold about 1,000 prisoners captured in 
 various ways, and can stand it as long as you, but I hardly think these 
 murders are committed by your knowledge, and would suggest that you 
 give notice to the people at large that every life taken by them simply 
 results in the death of one of your Confederates. Of course, you cannot 
 question my right to forage on the country. It is a war-right as old as 
 history. The manner of exercising it varies with circumstances, and if the 
 civil authorities will supply my requisitions I will forbid all foraging. But 
 I find no civil authorities that can respond to calls for forage or provisions, 
 and, therefore, must collect directly of the people. I have no doubt this is 
 the occasion of much misbehavior on the part of our men, but I cannot 
 permit an enemy to judge or punish with wholesale murder. 
 
 Personally, I regret the bitter feelings engendered by this war; but they 
 were to be expected, and I simply allege that those who struck the first 
 blow, and made war inevitable, ought not, in fairness, to reproach us for 
 the natural consequences ; I merely assert our war-right to forage, and my 
 resolve to protect to the utmost my foragers to the extent of life for life. 
 
 I am with respect, Your obedient servant, 
 
 W. T. SHERMAN, 
 Major-General U. S. A. 
 
 Sherman contradicts himself, for he says, in his Mem., page 
 182: "I would not restrain the army, lest its vigor and energy 
 should be impaired." 
 
 Headquarters in the Field, February 27, 1865. 
 Major-Oeneral W. T. Sherman, United States Army. 
 
 GENERAL : Your communication of the 24th inst. reached me today. In it 
 you state it has been officially reported that your foraging parties were 
 "murdered" after captures, and you go on to say that you have ordered a 
 number of Confederate soldiers to be "murdered." 
 
 You characterized your order in proper terms, for the public voice, even 
 in your own country, where it seldom dares to express in vindication of 
 
452 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 truth, honor or justice, will surely agree with you in pronouncing you 
 guilty of murder if your order is carried out. 
 
 Before discussing this portion of your letter I beg to assure you for every 
 soldier of mine "murdered" by you I shall have executed at once two of 
 yours, giving in all cases preference to any officers who may be in my 
 hands. 
 
 In reference to the statement you make regarding the death of your 
 foragers, I have only to say that I know nothing of it; that no orders 
 given by me authorize the killing of prisoners after capture, and that I 
 do not believe my men killed any of yours, except under circumstances in 
 which it was perfectly legitimate and proper they should kill them. It is a 
 part of the system of the thieves whom you designate as your foragers to 
 fire dwellings of those citizens whom they have robbed. 
 
 To check this inhuman system, which is fully execrated by every civilized 
 nation, I have directed my men to shoot down all of your men who are 
 caught burning houses. This order shall remain in force as long as you 
 disgrace the profession of arms by allowing your men to destroy private 
 dwellings. 
 
 You say that I cannot, of course, question your right to forage on the 
 country. It is a right as old as history. I do not, sir, question this right. 
 But there is a right older even than this, and one inalienable. The right 
 that every man has to defend his home and to protect those who are 
 dependent upon him. And from my heart I wish that every old man and 
 boy in my country who can fire a gun would shoot down, as he would a 
 wild beast, the men who are desolating their land, burning their houses 
 and insulting their women. You are particular in defining war rights. 
 May I ask if you enumerate among them the right to fire upon a defense 
 less city without notice, to burn that city to the ground after it had been 
 surrendered by the authorities who claimed, though in vain, that protec 
 tion which is always accorded in civilized warfare to non-combatants ; fire 
 the dwelling houses of citizens after robbing them, and perpetrate even 
 darker crimes than these crimes, too black to be mentioned. 
 
 You have permitted, if you have not ordered, the commission of these 
 outrages against humanity and the rules of war; you fired into the City 
 of Columbia, without a word of warning, after its surrender by the mayor, 
 who demanded protection to private property; you laid the whole city in 
 ashes, leaving amid its ruins thousands of old men and helpless women and 
 children, who are likely to perish of starvation and exposure. 
 
 Your line can be traced by the lurid light of burning houses, and in more 
 than one household there is an agony far more bitter than death. 
 
 The Indian scalped his victim regardless of sex or age; but, with all his 
 barbarity, he always respected the persons of his female captives. Your 
 soldiers, more savage than the Indian, insult those whose natural protectors 
 are absent. 
 
 In conclusion, I have only to request that when you have any of my men 
 disposed of, or "murdered," for the terms appear to be synonymous with 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 453 
 
 you, you will let me hear of it, in order that I may know what action to 
 take in the matter. 
 
 In the meantime I shall hold fifty-six of your men as hostages for those 
 whom you have ordered to be executed. 
 
 I am yours, etc., 
 
 WADE HAMPTON, 
 
 Lieutenant-General. 
 
 When Sherman s army marched through Fairfield County, 
 S. C., three gentlemen who had passed about seventy mile rocks 
 on life s journey took to the tall timber and when hunger had 
 forced them out of the woods they approached a house, and one 
 of them said to the boy in the front yard, "Go and tell the lady 
 (whose home was not in the line of march) that three gentlemen 
 formerly of affluence, but suddenly reduced to poverty, would like 
 to have breakfast." It is useless to say they enjoyed the Con 
 federate coffee made of toasted cornmeal, and other things in 
 keeping with the times. 
 
 Here is a letter by a Yankee lieutenant to his wife : 
 
 Camp near Camden, S. C., February 20, 1865. 
 
 MY DEAR WIFE : I have no time for particulars. We have had a glorious 
 time in this State. Unrestricted license to burn and plunder was the order 
 of the day. The chivalry have been stripped of most of their valuables. 
 Gold watches, silver pichers, cups, spoons, forks, &c., &c., are as common in 
 camp as blackberries. The terms of plunder are as follows : The valuables 
 procured are estimated by companies. Each company is required to exhibit 
 the result of its operations at any given place. One-fifth and first choice 
 falls to the commander-in-chief and staff, one-fifth to corps commander and 
 staff, one-fifth to field officers and two-fifths to the company. Officers are 
 not allowed to join in these expeditions unless disguised as privates. One 
 of our corps commanders borrowed a rough suit of clothes from one of my 
 men, and was successful in his place. He got a large quantity of silver 
 (among other things an old milk pitcher) and a very fine watch from a Mr. 
 DeSaussure of this place. DeSaussure is one of the F. F. Vs. of South 
 Carolina, and was made to fork out liberally. Officers over the rank of 
 captain are not made to put their plunder in the estimate for general dis 
 tribution. This is very unfair, and for that reason, in order to protect 
 themselves, the subordinate officers and privates keep everything back that 
 they can carry about their persons, such as rings, earrings, breastpins, 
 &c., &c., of which, if I live to get home, I have a quart. I am not joking. 
 I have at least a quart of jewelry for you and the girls, and some No. 1 
 diamond pins and rings among them. General Sherman has gold and silver- 
 enough to start a bank. His share in gold watches and chains alone at 
 Columbia was two hundred and seventy-five. 
 
454 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 But I said I could not go into particulars. All the general officers, and 
 many besides, have valuables of every description down to ladies pocket 
 handkerchiefs. I have my share of them, too. 9 
 
 We took gold and silver enough from the d d rebels to have redeemed 
 their infernal currency twice over. I wish all the jewelry this army has 
 could be carried to the Old Bay State. It would deck her out in glorious 
 style ; but, alas ! it will be scattered all over the North and Middle States. 
 
 The d d niggers, as a general thing, preferred to stay at home, partic 
 ularly after they found out that we wanted only the able-bodied men, and, 
 to tell the truth, the youngest and best looking women. Sometimes we took 
 them off by way of repaying influential Secessionists. But a part of these 
 we managed to lose, sometimes in crossing rivers, sometimes in other ways. 
 I shall write you again from Wilmington, Goldsboro, or some other place in 
 North Carolina. The order to march has arrived, and I must close hur 
 riedly. Love to grandmother and Aunt Charlotte. Take care of yourself 
 and the children. Don t show this letter outside of the family. 
 
 Your affectionate husband, 
 
 THOMAS J. MYERS, 
 
 Lieutenant, etc. 
 
 P. S. I will send this by flag of truce to be mailed, unless I have an 
 opportunity of sending it to Hilton Head. Tell Lottie I am saving a pearl 
 bracelet and earrings for her. But Lambert got the necklace and breast 
 pin from the same set. I am trying to trade him out of them. These 
 were taken from the Misses Jamison, daughters of the President of the 
 South Carolina Secession Convention. We found these on our trip through 
 Georgia. T. J. M. 
 
 This letter is addressed to Mrs. Thomas J. Myers, Boston, Mass. 
 
 In his memoirs Sherman says that war is hell. I am inclined 
 to the belief that some of his house burners (bummers) who were 
 killed with torches in their hands are still in the fire department 
 presided over by his Satanic Majesty. 
 
 The Yankee general Joe Hooker said of the Confederate soldier 
 that for steadiness in action and discipline he had no equal. 
 
 At 9 :30 p. m. on the 10th day of October, 1862, General Hamp 
 ton placed General M. C. Butler and his cavalry in immediate 
 command of Chambersburg, Pa., until 9 a. m. the following day, 
 and nothing was molested except government property. The 
 women of the city were as free from insult as they ever were. It 
 was in this city that General Lee issued the following: 
 
 Headquarters A. N. V., 
 Chambersburg, Pa., June 27, 1863. 
 General Orders No. 73. 
 
 The commanding general has marked with satisfaction the conduct of 
 the troops on the march and confidently anticipate results commensurate 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 455 
 
 with the high spirit they have manifested. No troops could have displayed 
 greater fortitude or better performed the arduous marches of the first 
 ten days. Their conduct in other respects has, with few exceptions, been 
 in keeping with their character as soldiers, and entitles them to approba 
 tion and praise. 
 
 There have, however, been instances of forgetfulness on the part of some, 
 that they have in keeping the yet unsullied reputation of the army, and 
 the duties exacted of us by civilization and Christianity are not less obliga 
 tory in the country of the enemy than in our own. The commanding gen 
 eral considers that no greater disgrace could befall the army and through 
 it to our people, than the perpetration of the barbarous outrages upon the 
 innocent and defenceless and the wanton destruction of private property, 
 that have marked the course of the enemy in our own country. Such 
 proceedings not only disgrace the perpetrators and all connected with them, 
 but are subversive of the discipline and efficiency of the army and destruc 
 tive of the ends of our present movements. It must be remembered that 
 we make war only on armed men, and that we, without lowering ourselves 
 in the eyes of all whose abhorrence has been excited by the atrocities of 
 our enemy, and offending against Him to whom vengeance belongeth, with 
 out whose favor and support our efforts must all prove in vain, the com 
 manding general, therefore, earnestly exhorts the troops to abstain with 
 most scrupulous care from unnecessary or wanton injury to private prop 
 erty; and he enjoins upon all officers to arrest and bring to summary pun 
 ishment all who shall in any way offend against the order on this subject. 
 
 R. E. LEE, General. 
 
 The future historian will prove that the Confederate soldier 
 was ever true to his convictions and fought as no other soldier 
 did, and he will be held up as the typical American soldier, hon 
 ored and respected by all the people from the rockbound coast of 
 Maine to the golden gates of California, and from the great lakes 
 to where the waves of the Atlantic kiss the shores of the Carolinas 
 and Georgia. 
 
 "General Lee fled from Fame; but Fame 
 
 Sought him in his retreat; 
 Demanding for the world one name 
 Made deathless by defeat." 
 
456 BCTI.ER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 BURNING OF THE CONVENT 
 
 ^ 
 
 When the Pagan Saxons laid England waste from sea to sea 
 many of the inhabitants fled into Gaul and settled in Armorica. 
 Others took shelter in the Netherlands and had a settlement near 
 the Rhine at a castle called Brittenburgh, as appears from ancient 
 monuments and Belgic historians produced by Usher. St. Ursula 
 and other holy martyrs seem to have left Britain about that 
 time, and to have met a glorious death in defence of their vir 
 ginity from the army of the Huns, which in the fifth age plun 
 dered that country and carried fire and the sword wherever they 
 came. It is agreed that they came originally from Britain, and 
 Ursula was the conductor and encourager of this holy troop. 
 
 Sigebert s Chronicle places their martyrdom in 453 (see But 
 ler s "Lives of the Saints," page 493, October number). St. 
 Ursula, who was the mistress and guide to heaven to so many 
 holy maidens, who she animated to the heroic practice of virtue, 
 conducted to the glorious crown of martyrdom, and presented 
 spotless to Christ, is regarded as a model and patroness by those 
 who undertake to train up youth in the sentiments of piety and 
 religion. A great many religious establishments have been 
 erected under her name and patronage for the virtuous educa 
 tion of young ladies throughout the world they are found among 
 the uncivilized as well as the civilized performing their heroic 
 work. 
 
 The first Ursuline convent in the United States of America 
 was established in the State of Louisiana, in the city of New 
 Orleans, in the year 1727, and in the year 1858, upon the invita 
 tion of the late Rt. Rev. Bishop Lynch, who was one of the 
 brightest lights of the church, this community of the Order of 
 the Ursulines came to Columbia from Brown County, Ohio, and 
 has accomplished much good. The Mother Superior at that time 
 was Madame Baptiste Lynch, who was possessed with wonderful 
 tact, energy and intellect. These good ladies had their convent 
 at the northeast corner of Main and Blanding streets and con 
 tinued their good work until Sherman s army put the torch to 
 their beautiful convent on the night of the 17th February, 1865 ; 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 457 
 
 when these poor nuns had to take the young ladies under their 
 charge and sit on the tombstones in the Catholic churchyard 
 during that memorable night with no covering, save their 
 wearing apparel, other than the canopy of heaven. The next 
 day, however, General Sherman relented and was equally as 
 liberal with property that did not belong to him as he was with 
 the torch the night before, presenting these good nuns with the 
 Preston mansion, now the South Carolina College for Women 
 under the management of some gentlemen of the Presbyterian 
 persuasion, and the Methodist College, where the Colonia Hotel 
 now stands. These Mother Baptiste Lynch gladly accepted with 
 the view of saving them from Sherman s torches for their lawful 
 owners. She was also the means of saving Valle Crucis, at one 
 time the home of Governor Pierce Butler. 
 
 General Sherman had his headquarters on Gervais street 
 between Pickens and Henderson, at the residence now owned by 
 the merchant prince Mr. J. L. Mimnaugh, while General John A. 
 Logan occupied the Preston mansion, who was in ante-bellum 
 days charged by the Hon. William C. Preston, while in Washing 
 ton, with being an "Indian half-breed." The impression was then, 
 and is at this late date, believed true. 
 
 During the mess dinner hour at the "old mansion," General 
 Logan turned to the venerable and ante-bellum butler of the 
 Hampton and Preston families and remarked: "Henry, what 
 would William C. Preston say could he know that the feet of the 
 half -breed Indian Logan rested under his mahogany?" Old 
 Henry dare not answer, devoted as he was to that house, the 
 family, and the traditions dating back to the days when his 
 master, Major-General Wade Hampton, of the old army once 
 entertained gentlemen comrades at that same board. Old Henry 
 had been "faithful among the faithless," and though a rope had 
 been placed around his neck more than once to make him reveal 
 hidden treasures, yet, with force applied, no information could 
 be obtained, and this old negro remained steadfast to the end of 
 the ordeal. 
 
 Testimony before the mixed commission on British and Amer 
 ican claims in Washington, D. C., 1872, volume entitled "Who 
 Burnt Columbia?" published by Walker, Evans & Cogswell, 
 Charleston, S. C., February 17th, 1865, page 97 : 
 
458 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Wm. T. Sherman testifies : 
 
 "Q. Do you not believe I do not want what people told you 
 but do you not believe that individuals assisted in spreading that 
 conflagration? Soldiers may have been concerned in spread 
 ing it ? 
 
 "Answer. Sherman on oath. Yes, sir, after it had been started. 
 There was a little circumstance which occurred at the beginning, 
 while I was still at the pontoon bridge, that I will mention right 
 here: I received a note from a sister of charity who kept the 
 asylum or school in Columbia, alleging the fact that she was a 
 teacher in a school in Brown County, Ohio, where my daughter, 
 Minnie, was a pupil, and by reason of that fact she claimed pro 
 tection to her school and property. I think I sent one of my 
 staff officers, Colonel Ewing, to assure her that there was no 
 purpose to disturb her or the property of anybody in Columbia. 
 I have since heard that she claimed that I passed my word guar 
 anteeing to her protection, on which she had based a claim for 
 indemnification, etc. Now, of course, I did not want that school 
 burnt with a parcel of little children. I went myself to see her 
 afterwards; that is what I am getting at. The next day after 
 the conflagration I went and found them all clustered in an 
 adjoining house, and gave orders that they should have possession 
 of some Methodist establishment, which happened to be vacant, 
 and which would serve as a shelter until they could procure 
 another place. Their schoolhouse was burnt down in the great 
 conflagration of the night before." 
 
 It is true that General Sherman s daughter, Miss Minnie, did go 
 to the convent in Brown County, Ohio ; it is true that the Mother 
 Superior did write the note asking for protection (whom he calls 
 the sister of charity in his testimony), and it is true that the 
 Mother Superior did not get the promised protection. 
 
 In the report of Chancellor James Parsons Carroll, in relation 
 to the destruction of Columbia, the 17th of February, 1865, we 
 find the following on page 7: "The Confederate forces were 
 withdrawn and the town restored to the control of the municipal 
 authorities on the morning of the 17th of February. Accom 
 panied by three of the aldermen, the mayor, between eight and 
 nine o clock a. m., proceeded in the direction of Broad river, for 
 the purpose of surrendering the city to General Sherman. Acting 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 450 
 
 in concert with the mayor, the officer in command of the rear 
 guard (one squadron) of the Confederate cavalry, General M. C. 
 Butler, forebore from further resistance to the advance of the 
 opposing army, and to effectual precautions against anything 
 being done which might provoke General Sherman or his troops 
 to acts of violence or severity towards the town or its citizens. 
 On the night of the 16th of February, 1865, Generals Hampton 
 and Butler had their headquarters at the Preston mansion, and 
 the next night at Killian s Mill, and well do I remember, with 
 my saddle for a pillow, how sweetly I slept on the cold, wet 
 ground, while others watched the flames eleven miles away which 
 razed our beautiful city to the ground. 
 
 General Hampton brought from Virginia in January, 1865, 
 two brigades of the First Division Cavalry, A. N. V. (Dunovant s 
 and Young s), commanded by General M. C. Butler (who in many 
 battles would present his breast to the sword of the enemy and by 
 his example force his soldiers to repulse the insulting and pur 
 suing hirelings of an invading arnry), leaving General Rosser s 
 brigade in the valley with General Fitzhugh Lee, while the "old 
 bald eagle," the man who never surrendered, General Mart Gary, 
 guarded the left of the army around Richmond and General 
 Bearing guarded the right wing below Petersburg. 
 
 I recollect on the morning of the 17th February, when the rear 
 guard was preparing to leave Columbia, we were mounted and 
 ready for orders on Blanding street, in front of the Preston 
 mansion, with the head of the column facing west, when to our 
 dismay we witnessed the sad sight of Logan s Fifteenth Army 
 Corps marching down Main street. Words fail me to express how 
 these battle-scarred veterans looked. They were ready to spill 
 every drop of their life s blood in defense of the helpless women 
 and children. Some said it was time to fight, let us charge ; while 
 others said how glorious to die defending our beautiful city. Gen 
 eral Hampton saw that discretion was the better part of valor, and 
 ordered General Butler with the rear guard up the Winnsboro 
 road towards Killian s Mill. Butler only had in his gallant little 
 Spartan band about 800 men. The rest of these two old brigades 
 save a few dismounted men commanded by General P. M. B. 
 Young on the coast had been left on the plains of Virginia, 
 where their bones now lie bleaching. General M. C. Butler never 
 
460 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 planned and fought a battle during the late unpleasantness but 
 what he covered himself and his brave veterans with glory. He 
 taught his men to conquer and was a terror ta his enemies; and 
 in all battles he was everywhere present, striking fear and terror 
 into their breasts and paleness over their countenances, and 
 inspiring his own men with courage. General J. E. B. Stuart, 
 who was mortally wounded at the Yellow Tavern, near Richmond, 
 and died 12th May, 1864, once said that the chivalrous Butler, 
 the dashing Rosser and the gallant Young would make any man a 
 military reputation. 
 
 On page 13 of Chancellor Carroll s report we find it stated: 
 "It is said by numbers of the soldiers, that the order had been 
 given to burn down the city. There is strong evidence that such 
 an order actually issued in relation to the house of General John S. 
 Preston. The Ursuline convent was destroyed by the Sherman 
 fire, and the proof referred to comes from a reverend and honored 
 member of that holy sisterhood, the Mother Superior, and it is 
 subjoined in her own words: Our convent was consumed in the 
 general conflagration of Columbia. Ourselves and pupils were 
 forced to fly, leaving provisions, clothing and almost everything. 
 We spent the night in the open air in the churchyard. On the 
 following morning General Sherman made us a visit, expressed 
 his regret at the burning of our convent, disclaimed the act, 
 attributing it to the intoxication of his soldiers, and told me to 
 choose any house in town for a convent, and it should be ours. 
 He deputed his adjutant-general, Colonel Ewing, to act in his 
 stead. Colonel Ewing reminded us of General Sherman s offer 
 to give us any house in Columbia we might choose for a convent. 
 We have thought of it, said we, and of asking for General Pres 
 ton s house, which is large. "That is where General Logan holds 
 his headquarters," said he, "and orders have already been given, 
 I know, to burn it tomorrow ; but if you say you will take it for a 
 convent I will speak to the general, and the order will be counter 
 manded." On the following morning, after many inquiries, we 
 learned from the officer in charge (General Perry, I think,) that 
 his orders were to fire it unless the sisters were in actual possession 
 of it, but even if a detachment of the sisters were in it it should 
 be spared on their account. Accordingly, we took possession of 
 it, although fires were already kindled near and the servants were 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 461 
 
 carrying off the bedding and furniture in view of the house being 
 consigned to the flames. r 
 
 Of course the nuns, as soon as hostilities ceased, turned the 
 property over to General Preston, and in August, 1865, purchased 
 from Colonel Ellison Keitt his beautiful home situated about 
 three miles east of Columbia, whose angelic and accomplished 
 wife called the place Valle Crucis Vale of the Cross. Little did 
 she think that a convent soon after her demise would be estab 
 lished on the spot she had so appropriately named. Her beautiful 
 and cultured daughter received her education at the Ursuline 
 Convent at Valle Crucis, and is now married to that gallant and 
 chivalric gentleman, Colonel L. P. Miller. Young ladies from 
 nearly all the Southern and some of the Northern States have 
 received their education at Valle Crucis and Columbia by the 
 untiring efforts of these saintly nuns. While the convent was at 
 Valle Crucis on the 14th day of October, 1872, by permission of 
 Bishop Lynch and the Mother Superior, and at the instance of 
 that good, noble and saintly priest, Rev. James Fullerton like 
 Nathan of old, with no guile in his heart two of these nuns, 
 Madame Ursula and Madam Thomasine, moved into Columbia 
 and established the parochial school at St. Peter s church. 
 Almighty God alone knows the good this school has done. We 
 poor mortals can only imagine how many have been saved from 
 perdition by attending the school which was the pride of the good 
 priest s heart. After the death of the lamented Bishop Lynch, 
 which occurred on the 26th February, 1882, the gifted Bishop 
 Northrop, his successor, induced the nuns to move into Columbia. 
 They purchased the above-mentioned Preston Mansion, and on 
 the 18th day of July, 1887, established the convent once more 
 there, where they continued their noble work until 19th February, 
 1890. Madame Baptiste Lynch died 28th July, 1887 the ven 
 erable superior who brought the community from Ohio in 1858 
 leaving as her successor Madame Charles Weed, who only sur 
 vived her a short time, for she was called to her reward on the 
 16th of March, 1888. and was succeeded by Madame Thomasine, 
 the present able, accomplished and gifted Mother Superior. 
 
 On the 26th day of July, 1889, the cornerstone of the new and 
 beautiful convent was laid at the northwest corner of Plain and 
 Assembly streets, and on the 19th of February the nuns left the 
 
462 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Preston mansion, not for Valle Crucis, but to take up their abode 
 in their large and commodious and handsome convent which con 
 tains about fifty rooms and thirteen large halls. fif ty boarders and 
 three hundred day scholars can easily be accommodated. This 
 fine brick building is furnished with hot and cold water, baths, 
 lights and best sanitary arrangements ; thoroughly heated by hot- 
 air furnaces and well ventilated. The grounds are ample for out 
 door exercise, which is regularly required. In point of health 
 and beauty Columbia does not yield to any Southern city. Owing 
 to the mild climate and dryness of the atmosphere, it is beginning 
 to attract much attention as a winter resort for invalids. The 
 mean temperature is 50 degrees Fahr. The city is connected by 
 direct lines of railway with all parts of the United States. The 
 institution is chartered by the Legislature of South Carolina and 
 empowered to confer degrees and diplomas. 
 
 In admission of pupils into the institution no distinction of 
 religion is made, nor is any undue influence used over their 
 religious principles, but for the maintaining of order all are 
 required to attend the exercise of divine worship prescribed for 
 the institute. 
 
 All applicants must be properly introduced. Application made 
 by societies or individuals disposed to aid the education of young 
 ladies, for admission of pupils at reduced rates will receive the 
 most favorable consideration that the circumstances of the con 
 vent will admit. For further information application may be 
 made to the Rt. Reverend Bishop, to the Reverend Clergy, or to 
 the Mother Superior. Some of the young ladies enter the convent 
 school very young, scarcely in their teens, and during their days 
 of study and meditation, tnat after graduating so much charmed 
 are they with their saintly training received at the hands of these 
 pious nuns they immediately take the white veil and wear it two 
 and a half years, when they rejoice to take the black veil and are 
 consecrated to Almighty God, and for whose honor and glory they 
 devote the rest of their lives introducing children, particularly 
 girls, to Him who created all things visible and invisible. To see 
 these saintly women and converse with them you are forcibly 
 reminded that white-winged angels of peace are continually hov 
 ering around them and those under their charge. "All that 
 pleases is but for a moment, and that which troubles is but for a 
 moment, and that only which is important is eternal." 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 463 
 
 HUGH SCOTT, SCOUT FOR HAMPTON AND BUT 
 LER, TROOP "I," SECOND S. C. CAVALRY 
 
 When Sherman was in camp in front of Goldsboro, N. C., in 
 1865, after his splendid (?) march to the sea, "we scouts," James 
 Butler (brother of General M. C. Butler), a man by the name of 
 Ashley (I regret the absence of his initials, for he was a very 
 gallant man, but he was an enlisted man of the splendid "Philip s 
 Legion,") Dan Tanner, N. B. Eison, and three others, who, in 
 the lapse of years have escaped my memory, brave, gallant men, 
 all of them. 
 
 At Snow Hill, a little town on the banks of the Reuse River, 
 in North Carolina, it was reported that the Yankees were in camp 
 nineteen horses awaiting our coming, and a few moments later 
 the nineteen horses belonged to us and the Confederacy. I 
 returned in order to secure the Yankee headquarters flag which I 
 had seen floating in the breeze, but the sentinel on post became 
 alarmed, and the force being too strong I was unable to effect 
 the capture. We swam the Neuse River with our horses, crossing 
 safely with our plunder. The next day we went down to Snow 
 Hill, and found that the Yanks had left. We crossed the bridge, 
 tearing up the planks behind us, thus cutting off communication. 
 We then moved in the direction of Goldsboro, with the intention 
 of destroying the railroad between that point and Newbern, 
 derailing the train, robbing it, and leaving. En route we cap 
 tured a Yankee officer riding out with a young lady. We held 
 the festive colonel prisoner, but allowed the misguided young lady 
 to go "Scot free." That scouting expedition secured to us seventy- 
 five splendid horses, with saddles, accoutrements and equipments, 
 amply repaying us for the risk and danger attending our every 
 step. 
 
 We rode day and night in our endeavor to reach Raleigh in 
 advance of the Yankees, and our speed increased when it became 
 known that Captain Jim Butler knew the hiding place of a 
 splendid barrel of whiskey, "Old Mountain Dew," for, you know, 
 a Confederate soldier would ride through hail and a tempest for 
 
 so B. c. 
 
464 BUTLER AXD His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 a bottle of whiskey, and for a barrel they would ride through . 
 
 In the course of time a citizen pointed out a short cut to Raleigh, 
 and I was detailed to reconnoiter. I moved cautiously in the 
 direction of a house located about two miles from where a few 
 moments before I had left the boys and horses. Reaching a 
 house, I found four Yankee steeds hitched to the fence. This 
 was about 10 o clock at night. I entered the house and found 
 four Yanks eating supper, the owner of the place waiting on 
 table. As I entered I remarked: "Well, I m just in time," at 
 the same time seating myself at table and helping myself to a 
 real, big, strong drink of fine old North Carolina corn from a 
 generous decanter set before them. One of the Yanks asked, 
 "To what command do you belong?" I answered, "Kilpatrick s, 
 am one of his scouts, and wanted to find out something about the 
 roads in that region." Between "the good old corn" and an 
 animated conversation, I gathered the information desired, and 
 deemed it wise to withdraw and not to stop upon the order of 
 my going. I told them that I was compelled to leave them, but 
 would shortly return and spend the night. As there were only 
 two beds in the room, the owner spread a pallet on the floor for 
 me. Before taking leave, I made the host fill my old canteen 
 full of the good old stuff and bid them "adieu" 
 
 I did return shortly as I had promised to do, but with me came 
 four of my gallant comrades. We walked in, lit a candle, covered 
 them with our pistols and demanded their surrender. As in love, 
 so in war, men resort to many tricks. They were rudely aroused 
 from a seemingly refreshing sleep, dreaming, perchance, of home 
 and fireside. 
 
 Upon being aroused, one of them, eyeing me keenly, remarked: 
 "You are the man that took supper with us!" I modestly 
 answered, "Yes," and that was the end of it. 
 
 We secured horses, and a nice set of prisoners, but lost the 
 treasured barrel of whiskey, for Sherman got there first. Gen 
 erals Hampton and Butler, however, were delighted at the result 
 of our trip, for in those dark days seventy-five horses was no mean 
 gift to cavalrymen. 
 
 Thus ended that trip. 
 
 HUGH H. SCOTT. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 465 
 
 THE CURTAIN FALLS BUTLER SURRENDERS 
 HIS CAVALRY 
 
 At the Chester reunion, 1899, General M. C. Butler was the 
 annual orator. Instead of indulging in a speech filled with 
 customary platitudes he recited a narrative of the retreat of Joe 
 Johnston from Columbia in the face of Sherman s overwhelming 
 army. General Butler is known to have been a sagacious, as well 
 as a dashing cavalry leader, and his observation of that famous 
 march are well worth reading and remembering. General Butler 
 said: 
 
 Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen: Your committee has done 
 me the honor to request me to deliver an address before you today. 
 I will, with your permission, appropriate the time set apart for 
 the purpose of a simple narrative of the operations of the troops 
 under my command from the evacuation of Columbia to John 
 ston s surrender. It has seemed to me we have not devoted enough 
 of the time of our annual reunions to historical purposes. Pos 
 sibly such subjects might not be so entertaining for the time being, 
 but I am quite sure they would be useful to those who come after 
 us. Besides, we have with us, I am pleased to say, our younger 
 brethren, the Sons of Veterans, many of them endowed with the 
 gift of eloquence and oratory, who will gratify and entertain us 
 with their worthy enthusiasm in the cause of their fathers. The 
 period of which I shall speak will embrace the last days of that 
 constitutional republic, the Southern Confederacy, that came into 
 being by the spontaneous action of its citizens, and flashed its brief 
 existence among the nations of the earth with a brilliancy and 
 grandeur of achievement in military and civic accomplishment 
 never before equalled in the annals of all history. It was a sad 
 day when this great light of constitutional government was put 
 out, by superior force and overwhelming numbers. Its record 
 will survive through the ages among the grandest and greatest 
 efforts of mankind to establish and perpetuate a form of govern 
 ment best suited to the happiness and welfare of its inhabitants. 
 
466 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Its civic history is no less brilliant than its military, and the two 
 combined make a record unsurpassed in human effort. 
 
 The burning of Columbia by Sherman was among the last acts 
 of the great tragedy of 1861-65. This act was wholly unneces 
 sary, and a clear, flagrant violation of all rules of civilized war 
 fare. But the city had been marked as the capital of the "Cradle 
 of Secession," and fell a victim to the venom and hatred of her 
 enemies. 
 
 Charleston, the splendid old city by the sea, was really the 
 "Cradle of "Secession," but for days and weeks and months and 
 years she had resisted and repelled combined assaults by land and 
 water with a tenacity and skill and pluck that challenged the 
 admiration of the world and made a new epoch in the science of 
 military defense. Be it said to her glory, she never surrendered. 
 
 Columbia, fair and beautiful Columbia, suffered vicariously for 
 the bull dog obstinacy of Moultrie, Sumter and Wagener, but, 
 thanks to the energy, patience and confidence of her inhabitants, 
 she has literally risen from her ashes and again put on the garb 
 of a new life, and is today a monument to the baffled vengeance of 
 her enemies and the undismayed pluck of her people. 
 
 The city was evacuated by the last of the Confederate forces on 
 the morning of 17th February, 1865. It was my fortune to 
 command a division of cavalry, composed of Butler s and Young s 
 brigades, which constituted the rear guard of Beauregard s 
 retiring army, and it was my duty to superintend the withdrawal 
 of our troops in such a manner as not to give excuse to Sherman s 
 incoming forces for a violation of the agreement made by the 
 mayor, that venerable and honorable gentleman, Dr. Goodwyn, 
 and General Sherman that if the Confederates should withdraw 
 without resistance the city should have immunity from assault 
 and violence. The compact was strictly carried out on our part. 
 Let the charred remnants of this beautiful, disarmed and helpless 
 city speak for the good faith and honorable conduct of the other 
 side. 
 
 General Hampton retired with Young s brigade, then com 
 manded by Colonel J. G. Wright, early that morning by the 
 Winnsboro road, and later I moved out with the other brigade, 
 commanded by Colonel B. H. Rutledge, by the Camden road. 
 Reaching Taylor s lane, east of the old Charlotte depot, I halted 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 467 
 
 for an hour or more to witness the movement of a column of Sher 
 man s army down the main street to the State House. The city 
 was free from incendiarism at that time, but that night the inhab 
 itants of the doomed city were engulfed in walls of tiaming fire, 
 the demon of hate having been let loose on its helpless victims. 
 
 It is not in the best taste that the pronoun "I" should be fre 
 quently used in a narrative like this, but it is almost impossible 
 to be impersonal in giving details so essential to a clear under 
 standing of the operations. Be good enough, therefore, my com 
 rades, to bear in mind that in alluding to myself I embrace the 
 officers and men of that gallant division of Confederate horsemen 
 who had illustrated their splendid valor and dashing courage so 
 long and so faithfully. It was simply my good fortune to be 
 associated with them and participate in the glory of their achieve 
 ments. 
 
 Resuming the march about nine or ten o clock in the forenoon, 
 we moved out to Dent s mill, on the Camden road, thence through 
 the pine woods to Killian s mill, where we joined the other brigade 
 and bivouacked for the night. 
 
 Exhausted by anxiety and loss of sleep of the two days and 
 nights before, we slept so soundly that we were not aware until 
 next morning, at least I was not, that Columbia had been 
 destroyed by fire, although only eleven miles away. 
 
 During the next day, the 18th of February, Blair s corps, the 
 Seventeenth, was pushed out along the Charlotte and Columbia 
 railroad and appeared across Killian s mill pond and creek, and 
 we had a sharp encounter with him there. I had the dam of the 
 pond cut so as to flood the low ground and check Blair s advance. 
 We deployed along the ridge in front of the railroad station and 
 kept up the fight until dark, losing two men killed and several 
 wounded. The loss inflicted on the enemy I had no means of 
 ascertaining, except some prisoners captured by my scouts. Next 
 morning we marched towards Winnsboro via Doko (now Blythe- 
 wood) and Ridgeway. 
 
 I suppose General Beuregard, and, as for that matter, all of us, 
 assumed that Sherman s next objective point was Charlotte, N. C. 
 Consequently, after a halt of a day at Winnsboro, where it became 
 my painful duty to have destroyed eighty dozen of Governor 
 Aiken s fine old wine (sent up from Charleston for safety), to 
 
468 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 18G1-18G5. 
 
 prevent its falling into the hands of the enemy and tickling 
 their thirsty palates. I was ordered out to Gladden s grove for 
 convenience in getting forage, watching Shegnan s right flank, 
 while the remnant of Hood s army, under General S. D. Lee, 
 with Wheeler s division of cavalry continued up the railroad. 
 General Hampton directed me to rid myself of wheels, move 
 around Sherman s right and join him at. Land s ford on the 
 Catawba river. 
 
 I accordingly ordered my wagons and artillery towards Char 
 lotte, and with the mounted column started from Gladden s grove 
 in the early morning of my second day there, by the nearest road 
 leading towards Columbia, intending to pass between Sherman s 
 army and that city. We had not advanced far before running 
 into the Fifteenth corps. This corps and the Seventeenth com 
 posed Sherman s right wing and the Fourteenth and Twentieth 
 his left. After a sharp fight with the Fifteenth corps, continued 
 long enough to develop the strength of the enemy in my front, 
 and finding I could not overcome so strong a force on that road, 
 I moved to my left so as to get into the river road, the only one 
 left open between my column and the Wateree river. This, too, 
 the enemy had occupied in force. Late that afternoon an inci 
 dent occurred which satisfied me that Sherman had changed 
 direction to the right and was not moving on Charlotte. A pris 
 oner was brought to me who said he was an artificer of the reserve 
 ordnance train of the Twentieth corps, and that his train had 
 been ordered to camp that night at Rocky Mount, on the Wateree 
 river. This would throw the Twentieth corps entirely out of the 
 direction of Charlotte, and convinced me for the first time that 
 Sherman would move across the State toward Cheraw, at right 
 angles with the course he had been marching, and I sent a dis 
 patch at once to Generals Beauregard and Hampton notifying 
 them of his change of route. This necessitated a change in my 
 contemplated movement, as I could not get around between Sher 
 man and the river. I, therefore, moved up through Beckamville, 
 intending to pass the river at some convenient crossing higher up. 
 Dr. Cloud, a venerable old gentleman of eighty-two years of age, 
 resided at Beckamville and the only two members of his family 
 with him were two young ladies, his granddaughters. He 
 requested me to have our animals all fed from his well-stored 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 469 
 
 barns of forage, and notified me where he had concealed his 
 valuables. I afterwards learned he had been strung up by the 
 neck twice by Sherman s soldiers to coerce him into disclosing the 
 whereabouts of his silver and valuables. In this they failed, as 
 I also learned, but his negroes betrayed the places of concealment, 
 and the silver and jewelry fell into the hands of Sherman s officers 
 and men. 
 
 We moved from Beckamville to Fishing Creek, and biv 
 ouacked for the night at Anderson s mill. That night we could 
 trace the line of Sherman s camps by the glare of the incendiary 
 fires, lighting up the horizon for miles above and below us. I 
 had been ordered to drive ahead of us all the work animals pos 
 sible from the country, to prevent their falling into the hands of 
 the enemy. We carried away with us nine or ten very fine mules 
 of Dr. Cloud s and three or four of Dr. Anderson s, and after the 
 surrender at Greensboro I directed them to be returned to their 
 owners, but whether any of them reached their destinations I can 
 not say. I learned that I was soundly abused for taking the 
 animals away. If their owners had been aware that I was acting 
 under orders, and how much trouble they caused me, they would 
 doubtless have spared me. 
 
 Next morning we moved from Fishing Creek towards Gouche s 
 ferry, on the Catawba river, and as the people living on our line 
 of march could give me no information of a ford, I determined to 
 ferry over the men and equipments in the ferryboat at Gouche s 
 and swim the horses. The Twentieth and Fourteenth corps were 
 closing in on us above and the Fifteenth and Seventeenth below, 
 so the chances of getting out on the east side of the river were 
 cut off. 
 
 I had one squadron unsaddled and started a man on a horse 
 ahead with the loose horses following to swim across. The mounted 
 man had almost reached the opposite bank, with the loose horses 
 following closely on his heels, when, for some unaccountable 
 reason, the loose horses turned and swam back to our side of 
 the river. They drifted with the current some distance down, 
 and struck the bank below the landing, and it was only by prompt 
 and hard work we managed to draw them up the muddy, steep 
 bank and save them. 
 
470 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 The situation looked rather squally. Fortunately, I had sent 
 scouts up and down the river, as we could learn nothing from the 
 citizens of the neighborhood, with instructionsto examine all the 
 crossings within reach. Those from below reported a ford at 
 Wade s Wade s ford. It was the work of a very minutes to 
 mount and make for this ford, which was crossed late in the 
 afternoon, and the Federal commanders were disappointed in not 
 bagging their game, as we learned from a prisoner taken next 
 morning, who was a clerk at Logan s headquarters, that they 
 expected to do. 
 
 After passing Lancaster Court House, where the home guard 
 had been disbanded by General Garlington the day before, we 
 moved east, or southeast. On the old Hanging Kock battle ground 
 of the Revolution, the Cobb Legion of Young s brigade had an 
 encounter with a regiment of Sherman s bummers, and drove it 
 pell mell for some distance, killing and capturing quite a number. 
 Thence we marched towards Cantey s plantation on Little 
 Lynche s creek. We were constantly engaged with flankers and 
 bummers of the enemy, and the night before we reached Cantey s 
 I had intended to make a night attack on the Fifteenth corps, but 
 a terrible rain storm came up before we could get in striking dis 
 tance. The night was the darkest and the rain the hardest that 
 I had ever known before or since, and so interfered with our 
 plans as to make an attack at daylight impossible. 
 
 When we reached Cantey s about nine o clock next morning, we 
 discovered the enemy loading eight or ten wagons from Mr. 
 Cantey s barns. I sent Colonel Rutledge forward with the Fourth 
 South Carolina regiment to charge and to take the wagons and 
 escort. This was done iii handsome style, capturing the loaded 
 wagons and several prisoners. We hurried them to the bridge 
 near by over Little Lynche s creek, and just as our rear, the 
 Phillip s Legion of Young s brigade, was clearing the bridge, a 
 regiment or brigade of Federal infantry swung suddenly out and 
 opened fire, but they were too late to do much damage. Here it 
 was that Sherman s troops captured and carried off Mr. Thomas 
 Pusear s celebrated race horse "Censor" and others. They were 
 racing them below Cantey s farm, as we learned, when we came 
 upon them. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 471 
 
 The swamp on the east or north side of Lynche s creek was 
 covered with water from the heavy rains, in some places up to 
 the saddle skirts. As we were moving into the water, necessarily 
 at a slow pace, a squad of mounted bummers followed us and 
 fired on our rear. The audacity of the thing took us somewhat 
 by surprise, but the rearguard, the Phillip s Legion, always pre 
 pared for any emergency, turned upon them and killed, captured 
 or wounded the entire party, seventeen in number, before they 
 could retrace their steps to the bridge. 
 
 We moved into the pine woods to Big Lynche s creek, now 
 Lynche s river, and crossed at Pierce s bridge, turned down the 
 stream to Kellytown, a hamlet near Tiller s ferry. As Sherman 
 appeared to have halted on the south side of the river, it occurred 
 to me he might determine to turn the head of his column towards 
 Georgetown, on account of the scarcity of supplies, but it turned 
 out he was delayed by high water. I halted for two days at 
 Kellytown and sent Colonel Hugh Aiken with a strong detach 
 ment down the river on a reconnoitering expedition, and Major 
 Brown of the Cobb Legion up the stream on a similar errand. 
 Late on the afternoon of the second day I heard from Major 
 Brown that Blair s corps, the Seventeenth, had crossed at Pierce s 
 bridge, where we had crossed, and from the detachment under 
 Colonel Aiken that the enemy had crossed below. This gallant 
 officer was killed the night before in a fight with a detachment of 
 Sherman s army, near Mt. Eron church. This detachment had 
 been sent toward Florence to release the Federal prisoners impris 
 oned there. Aiken s encounter turned them back. 
 
 Becoming satisfied from these reports that Sherman was 
 moving on Cheraw, we started about dark for that point, march 
 ing all that night, and next day reached the Confederate out 
 posts just before sunset. 
 
 I reported to General Hardee, who had moved the garrison 
 from Charleston, consisting of about 14,000 men, as reported at 
 the time. The advance -of Blair s corps reached within a few 
 miles of Cheraw the same evening that we did. 
 
 I informed General Hardee that Blair s corps, consisting, as I 
 was informed, of 17,000 or 20,000 men, must have been at least 
 twelve hours march ahead of the other corps of Sherman s army, 
 and suggested that he attack Blair next morning with his 14,000 
 
472 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 18G1-1865. 
 
 men reinforced by my division, and that if he would do so I was 
 satisfied we could administer a severe blow and check Sherman s 
 advance, but he did not appear to think it advisable, and, per 
 haps he was right. General Hardee directed me to picket Thomp 
 son s creek and to go in person to Chesterfield Court House with 
 such of my command as I could spare and watch the movements 
 of the enemy from that direction. He ordered a brigade of 
 infantry on duty on the Chesterfield road to report to me with this 
 small force. We retired, fighting at every point from Chester 
 field Court House toward Cheraw. At nightfall the enemy had 
 not crossed Thompson s creek, which is about eight miles distant 
 from Cheraw by the Chesterfield road and four miles by the road 
 to Camden. We had to guard the crossings of the creek covering 
 the entire front of Cheraw. 
 
 A short time after dark a courier brought me a message from 
 General Hardee directing me to report to him at once. I reached 
 his headquarters about nine p. m., and as there have been a good 
 many romances about what occurred that night and the next day, 
 I will ask you to excuse me for entering rather minutely into the 
 details of what I know of the incidents, and shall only speak of 
 what comes within my own knowledge. 
 
 I found at General Hardee s headquarters General McLaws, 
 General Eans Wright, General Talafeiro and General Stephen 
 Elliott. They had evidently been holding a council of war, for 
 soon after I entered and exchanged salutations General Hardee 
 said to me, in substance, the following: "General, after your 
 experience in today s operations, what do you advise in regard to 
 the evacuation of Cheraw?" My prompt reply was "that he 
 ought to get his army across the Pee Dee at the earliest possible 
 moment." Some of the other officers, notably General McLaws, 
 advanced the opinion that there was no occasion for haste. I 
 said, "Well, gentlemen, you have asked my opinion and I have 
 given it frankly, and have heard nothing to induce me to change 
 it." I had no intimation of what had been discussed before my 
 arrival, but my opinion appeared to settle whatever doubt that 
 existed in General Hardee s mind, as he at once began to dictate 
 aloud an order to his adjutant-general, Major Roy, for the 
 withdrawal of the troops. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 473 
 
 The first paragraph directed the chiefs of the quartermaster, 
 ordnance and subsistence departments to begin the moving of 
 their trains next morning at daylight. When the paragraph was 
 finished I suggested that the order be changed to take effect at 
 once that night, and the change was accordingly made. The last 
 paragraph of the order directed that my division should bring 
 up the rear, destroy what public stores that might be left and 
 burn the covered bridge over the Pee Dee. 
 
 My reason for suggesting the change in General Hardee s order 
 was based on the fact that great quantities of stores, public and 
 private, had been sent up from the low-country to Cheraw for 
 safety, and I felt quite sure it would require more time for their 
 removal in view of the rapid advance of the enemy, and the event 
 proved the correctness of this opinion. 
 
 By daylight next morning the infantry, artillery and wagon 
 trains had been pretty well cleared out of the town, leaving only 
 my division. I had scarcely time to get in one of my brigades 
 from up the Chesterfield road before the enemy reached the out 
 skirts of Cheraw on the Camden road. I halted a Georgia 
 battalion of infantry at the forks of the two roads to hold the 
 enemy in check until Young s brigade could get in on the Ches 
 terfield road. As it was, forty-six men were cut off, but they 
 managed to make their way across the river higher up and 
 escaped. As soon as the brigade got in I relieved the infantry 
 battalion, which in the meantime had had rather a fierce skirmish 
 with the advance of the enemy at the fork of the roads. 
 
 I then deployed everything I had across the different streets 
 and retired to the bridge in the face of a sharp fire, returned shot 
 for shot, except that we had no artillery, while the enemy brought 
 a battery and fired down the main street. The horse of one of 
 my couriers, Edward Wells, of the Charleston Light Dragoons, 
 was killed under him before reaching the bridge. 
 
 So close was the call at the bridge that as my rear guard passed 
 out at the east end the enemy was entering the west end. The 
 rear guard consisted of a squadron from Young s brigade, com 
 manded by Captain Baugh. Happening to be with the rear 
 guard, I directed Captain Baugh to dismount his men, send his 
 horses behind the abutment of the bridge, drive the enemy out 
 and set fire to the bridge. As horse flesh was very valuable at 
 
474 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 that time, I sent my own out of danger, and together we drove 
 the enemy out and set fire to the piles of rosin deposited at 
 intervals along the floor of the bridge by .General Hardee s 
 engineer officers. We soon had it in flames and gave General 
 Hardee time to start his heavy trains. 
 
 Colonel Alfred Ehett was ordered that evening to report to me 
 for duty with his brigade as a part of the rear guard. The 
 brigade consisted of the First South Carolina regular infantry, 
 commanded by Colonel William Butler ; the First South Carolina 
 regular artillery, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Joe Yates, 
 and the South Carolina Heavy Artillery, whose commander I do 
 not now recall. This brigade was deployed along the east bank 
 of the river and kept up a lively sharp shooting with the enemy 
 until nine or ten o clock. During the firing Lieutenant- Colonel 
 Warren Adams, First South Carolina infantry, was wounded 
 near me by a shot in the chest which I supposed would be fatal, 
 but the force of the bullet had been broken in some way and only 
 inflicted a slight wound. Colonel Khett was soon afterwards 
 taken prisoner at Averysboro, and the command of the brigade 
 devolved upon Colonel William Butler. In this narrative I have 
 not attempted as much as a reference to the almost daily con 
 flicts we had with some portion of Sherman s army. With only a 
 handful of men we could get only an occasional blow at detach 
 ments foraging and plundering the helpless inhabitants. 
 
 Soon after the evacuation of Cheraw General Joseph E. John 
 ston assumed command of the army. General Hardee, however, 
 commanded in person at the battle of Averysboro, in which my 
 division did not participate. 
 
 General E. M. Law was assigned to the temporary command of 
 Butler s brigade, and before the battle of Bentonville was relieved 
 by Brigadier-General T. M. Logan, who had recently been pro 
 moted to the vacancy occasioned by the death of General John 
 Dunovant. This gallant and distinguished officer led the brigade 
 at the fight of McDowell s farm, below Petersburg, and was killed 
 on the fighting line the 1st day of October, 1864. I rejoined 
 General Hampton, who had been with Wheeler s division, near 
 the old fair grounds in North Carolina, after a separation of two 
 weeks or more operating on my own hook. Just before we 
 reached the junction we had a tilt with Kilpatrick s cavalry, the 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 475 
 
 first time we had met, and recaptured some Catawba wine he had 
 sent out to seize from a citizen and took a number of prisoners. 
 We had also had quite a heavy engagement with a portion of 
 the Seventeenth corps at the crossing of Black river, where we 
 killed several and captured a number of prisoners loaded down 
 with plunder. 
 
 I wish time permitted and your patience could further endure 
 a description of the attack on Kilpatrick s camp at daylight, his 
 flight in his night clothes, Wheeler s inability to carry out his 
 part of the programme because of an unforeseen obstacle, in a 
 boggy swamp, and the severe losses we suffered by reason of the 
 same. Among others killed on that eventful morning was Lieu 
 tenant-Colonel King, of the Cobb Legion, while gallantly leading 
 a dismounted charge; also my friend and college classmate, 
 Sergeant Sam Cothran, of the Sixth South Carolina cavalry, 
 who was shot down and instantly killed near me, with sixty 
 others, in an inconceivably short space of time. It was a sad fate 
 so near the end, after so many years of such splendid service. I 
 am not sure, however, that they were not more fortunate than 
 those of us who survived to suffer the humiliation of defeat and 
 the terrors of reconstruction. They died as all gallant soldiers 
 prefer to die, fighting on the front line of battle for their con 
 victions and love of country. 
 
 Our fight in the streets of Fayetteville, the battle of Benton- 
 ville, the armistice, the final terms of surrender, were the ringing 
 down of the curtain after the last acts of one of the most gigantic 
 struggles in the annals of war. It may interest you to learn some 
 thing, as I draw my remarks to a close, of the closing scenes 
 which led to the surrender and disbanding of Johnston s army at 
 Greensboro, N. C. 
 
 With scarce 28,000 men he had met Sherman s 80.000 or 90,000 
 at Bentonville and fought one of the fiercest battles of the war. 
 Lee having surrendered soon afterwards at Appomattox. Va., a 
 cessation of hostilities was arranged between Johnston and Sher 
 man, as I now remember, for a few days. Before the expiration 
 of the armistice Generals Hampton and Wheeler had left John 
 ston s army to proceed, as it was understood at the time, to the 
 trans-Mississippi department to join that army and continue the 
 war. 
 
476 
 
 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1S61-1865. 
 
 This left me the ranking cavalry officer of Johnston s armv, 
 with headquarters at Hillsboro, N. C. General Kilpatrick cov 
 ered Sherman s front, and through his and nfy headquarters all 
 messages between Johnston and Sherman passed. The day before 
 the termination of the armistice General Johnston telegraphed 
 me from Greensboro to 
 meet him at the rail 
 road with an escort 
 and led horse and ac 
 company him to Gen 
 eral Sherman s head 
 quarters. Accordingly 
 we were at the railroad 
 to meet him on the 
 down train, with a 
 squadron of cavalry 
 and extra horse. When 
 we were within a mile 
 or so of Sherman s 
 headquarters we w r ere 
 met by a detachment of 
 Kilpatrick s cavalry 
 and escorted to the 
 Bennett House, where 
 General Sherman 
 
 awaiting 
 
 was 
 
 us. He and 
 Johnston entered 
 
 GENERAL T. 
 
 LOGAN 
 
 General Johnston entered the house, while I, accompanied 
 by General T. M. Logan,, Major John S. Preston and Captain 
 James N. Lipscomb, of my staff, remained in the yard. 
 
 In a short time we were joined by General O. O. Howard and 
 later by Generals Schofield, Blair and Kilpatrick, with whom we 
 engaged in conversation until invited into the house to join the 
 two commanding generals, after they had made their final terms 
 of capitulation. It is conceded, I believe, that these terms were 
 drawn up by Major-General John M. Schofield. General John 
 ston concentrated his army at Greensboro, where it was paroled. 
 
 Major-General Hartsuff, of Sherman s army, and myself, rep 
 resenting Johnston s army, were appointed a joint commission to 
 sign the muster rolls of the Confederate cavalry. When my sig- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 477 
 
 nature was attached to those rolls I performed one of the most 
 painful duties of my life, and I never recur to it without a feeling 
 of sadness and gloom. 
 
 General Johnston directed me before discharging the division 
 that I should superintend the distribution of about $17,000 in 
 silver to the officers and men. This was done, and my share of 
 the fund was $1.75, which was about the amount of my worldly 
 assets with which to begin life anew. 
 
 We separated about the 1st day of May, 1865, and marched to 
 our homes with the full consciousness of duty well performed. 
 We made no apologies and have made none since, the only regrets 
 felt or expressed were that we had not triumphed in our cause 
 and won the final victory after so much hard fighting and so 
 many sacrifices. 
 
 In parting after this reunion who knows to how many it will be 
 the last. I greet you, my old Confederate friends, with the sin 
 cere affection of a devoted comrade who has shared with you the 
 glories of successful battle under the Starry Cross and the sorrows 
 and gloom of undeserved defeat. And to the Sons of Veterans, 
 worthy sons of worthy sires, I congratulate you on the heritage 
 you have in the prestige of your fathers, and commend their 
 splendid records as soldiers and citizens to your jealous guardian 
 ship. A few years more and there will be nothing of them left 
 except the sacred memories of their lives and the lofty example 
 of their unselfish patriotism. 
 
 "Hushed is the roll of the Rebel drum, 
 
 The sabres sheathed and the cannon are dumb, 
 And Fate, with pitiless hand, has furled 
 The flag that once challenged the gaze of the world." 
 
478 BUTLER AXD His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 COMMANDS OF M. C. BUTLER 
 
 Captain Hampton Legion June 12, 1861. 
 
 Major Hampton Legion July 21, 1861. 
 
 Colonel Second South Carolina Cavalry August 22, 1862. 
 
 Brigadier-General September 1, 1863. 
 
 Major- General September 19, 1864. 
 
 COMMANDS. 
 
 Commanding First Brigade of Cavalry, Army of Northern Vir 
 ginia, consisting of the First and Second South Carolina Cavalry, 
 Cobb s Legion of Cavalry, Jeff. Davis Legion of Cavalry, 
 Philips Legion of Cavalry, and First North Carolina Cavalry. 
 Hampton s old brigade in May, 1864, brigade composed of the 
 Fourth, Fifth and Sixth South Carolina Regiments Cavalry, and 
 Keitt s Squadron was afterwards added. Division originally 
 composed of the cavalry brigades of Rosser, Young, Butler, and 
 Dearing. 
 
 STAFF. 
 
 Barker, T. G., Major, A. A. G., November 4, 1864. 
 
 Davis, Zimmerman, Lieu tenant- Colonel, A. A. G., July, 1864. 
 
 Lipscombe, J. N., Captain, A. A. G., November 4, 1864. 
 
 Lowndes, R., Captain, A. A. G., November, 1864. 
 
 Preston, John S., Major, A. A. G., November, 1864. 
 
 Butler, O. N., Captain, A. D. C., May, 1864. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 479 
 
 DEATH OF BRIG.-GEN. JOHN DUNOVANT 
 
 Brigadier-General John Dunovant held rank of captain in 
 Tenth U. S. Infantry before the war, and that of major of 
 infantry in the South Carolina army during the initial operations 
 of the War of the Confederacy and during the bombardment of 
 Fort Sumter ; was present at Fort Moultrie, doing all that was in 
 his power. Subsequently he became colonel of the First Regi 
 ment of Regular Infantry, and was 
 stationed for some time on Sullivan s 
 Island and at Fort Moultrie. Later, in 
 1862, he was given command of the 
 Fifth Regiment South Carolina Cav 
 alry, in which capacity he served in the 
 State until ordered to Virginia in 
 March, 1864. There he and his regi 
 ment were under the brigade command 
 of General M. C. Butler. The regiment 
 under his leadership did admirable 
 service. General Dunovant reported at the battle of Drury s 
 Bluff May 16, 1864, and subsequently in the encounters with Sher 
 idan s Cavalry. He shared the services of Butler s Cavalry at 
 Cold Harbor, Trevillian, Xance s Shop, Gravelly Rim, Ream s 
 Station and McDowell s Farm. On August 2, 1864, President 
 Davis suggested to General Lee Dunovant s promotion to briga 
 dier-general, and it was soon after ordered. 
 
 He was killed 1st October, 1864. On receipt of news of the 
 death of the gallant soldier, General Lee replied to General 
 Hampton : "I grieve with you at the loss of General Dunovant 
 and Dr. Fontaine, two officers whom it will be difficult to replace." 
 
 BRIG.-GEN. JOHN DUNOVANT. 
 
 31 B. C. 
 
480 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 HISTORY AND WAR ANECDOTES 
 
 GENERAL LAFAYETTE AND THE CONFEDERATE SOLDIER. 
 
 Forty years after the Revolution, 1776 to 1783, on the 10th of 
 March, 1825, nearly a century ago, when that knightly and 
 chivalrous hero, Lafayette, passed through this beautiful city. 
 Spring s balmiest and most radiant sunbeams had kissed into gen 
 erous bloom the flowers of wintry March, and these first offerings 
 of spring were laid by grateful hands in the carriage ways and 
 streets and in the dust, that the foot of that gallant son of France 
 should tread this rare and radiant pathway of sweetest perfume. 
 And with the queenly roses there lay the white lily flags, the 
 "Fleur de Lis" of his own loved native land. He won the affec 
 tions of the stern-browed and iron-souled warriors of the Revolu 
 tion, thenceforth a halo of glory surrounded him, and he was 
 hailed by all the world as the Apostle of Liberty. Lafayette was 
 received with open arms by the warm-hearted and chivalrous 
 sons of South Carolina, and was entertained in the large and 
 commodious house on Gervais street so long occupied by Bishop 
 Capers. 
 
 "On the 10th of March he arrived at Columbia, S. C., with an 
 escort of about 1,000 troops. Splendid arches had been thrown 
 up and he was welcomed in an address from the Governor of the 
 State and another from Dr. Cooper, the president of the college. 
 Some of the militia on this occasion evinced an alacrity which is 
 not unworthy of notice. From two brigades in the interior of 
 the State, 200 men from each, called into service by the Governor, 
 reached Columbia in three days after the receipt of their orders. 
 They marched from sixty to seventy miles on foot in full uniform. 
 Among those w r ho were assembled at Columbia to welcome the 
 general he recognized Judge Waties, the only survivor of the 
 party which received him on his first landing in this country at 
 General Huger s, in Georgetown." See life of Lafayette. 
 
 Forty years after the great War Between the States, 1861 to 
 1865, that knightly and chivalrous gentleman, General Wilie 
 Jones, suggested to the sterling veteran. Captain W. D. Starling, 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 481 
 
 the idea of strewing flowers, and the reunion committee, assisted 
 by Professor Dreher, on the afternoon of Wednesday, the 13th of 
 May, 1903, like God s sweetest benediction fell the gentle rain 
 from the heavens upon the gallant and battle-scarred warriors of 
 our great cause and upon the fair and dainty little children whose 
 wee hands had made of May s loveliest flowers a carpet from 
 Lady street to the State house. Upon this fragrant pathway of 
 flowers they marched once again, clad in their suits of gray. 
 Some of these were at Chancellorsville, w^here Stonewall Jackson 
 took victory out of the Yankee General Hooker s hand and car 
 ried it with him to his grave. Some were at Gettysburg. Shiloh, 
 Chickamauga, and some with Hampton and Butler at Trevillian 
 and Sapony Church, and some with Mart Gary on the Chicka- 
 hominy, and some from First Mannassas to Bentonville. Oh ! 
 grand old patriots who have so nobly fought and bled, though 
 thy steps be feeble and slow 7 and down the west life s sun is 
 setting fast. Forever our hearts will live in the memory of your 
 white deeds of valor and your noble brows we croAvn with the 
 garlands of fadeless laurel and with the wreaths of deathless 
 immortelles. 
 
 South Carolina can boast of having had in the War of Seces 
 sion the youngest colonel of the line, James R. Hagood, aged 19. 
 The youngest colonel of artillery was John C. Haskell, aged 20. 
 John D. Kennedy was the youngest brigadier-general, 24 years 
 old, and at 28 Gen. M. C. Butler Avas a major-general, and at 32 
 Stephen D. Lee was a lieutenant-general. The first brigade of 
 Confederate troops that left our State was commanded by General 
 M. L. Bonham, and while commanding the brigade was elected 
 Governor of South Carolina, and again was the last brigadier- 
 general appointed from South Carolina 1865. 
 
 While at home in Edgefield on furlough in 1861 General Bon- 
 ham met a big boy and said, "Hello, Bill, how s your pa?" "He 
 is dead, sir, was the answer. And late in the afternoon the old 
 general met the same boy again and said, "Hello, Bill, how s 
 your pa?" "He is still dead, sir," was the reply. 
 
482 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 When the gallant General Perrin raised a company at Edge- 
 field, Rube Golden and Lorenzie Radden were among the first to 
 join, and as the 10th of August, 1861, drew neaf for tne company 
 to go to the front, Lorenzie would often say : "Oh, Golden ! Oh, 
 Golden! You think Perrin s company will go?" and when 
 Golden said, "Yes, you fool ; what in the devil did they volunteer 
 for if they are not going?" Lorenzie s only reply was, "Oh, my !" 
 
 Company "D" was Perrin s in the Fourteenth S. C. Regiment. 
 James Jones was the first colonel, Sam l McGowan, lieutenant- 
 colonel, W. D. Simpson was the major, and while this gallant old 
 regiment was in camp of instruction at Pole Cat, near Aiken, 
 S. C., every morning at 8 o clock the sick call was sounded. So 
 one morning, Lorenzie Radden walked up and the doctor said, 
 "Well, what is the matter, are you sick?" and Lorenzie said, 
 "Sick? Why sick? Hell, haint I been sick for three days and 
 better, an haint a bit of stomach." 
 
 When the Sixth South Carolina Cavalry was stationed at 
 Adams Run in 1862, General Hagood sent Company "B" of that 
 gallant olcf regiment over to Jacksonboro to do picket duty on Cat 
 Island, Bears Island and along the Edisto, under Captain Lewis 
 Jones. We went into camp below Jacksonboro and about twenty 
 men were sent down on Bears Island to remain two weeks to 
 picket at Bennett s Point. The reserve picket post was about 
 two miles this side of the Point, where two men were kept on 
 vidette for twenty-four hours. One day, while at Jacksonboro. 
 old man Scott came down from Edgefield with his three sons to 
 "jine," as he said to Captain Jones. So they were all mustered 
 into service and the boys in the company at once nick-named the 
 whole party, and they were known afterwards as Old Scott, 
 Yaller Scott, Lean Scott and Young Scott. For "we" they would 
 say "we-ens" and for "you" or "yours," they would say "youens." 
 One night when "Yaller" and "Lean" were relieved at the Point, 
 Jim Kimbrill, George Addison, Bill Head and myself thought 
 that it would be so nice to play a joke on the videttes, "Yaller" 
 and "Lean." and meet them on the road in the dark and fire off 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 483 
 
 our guns over their heads, thinking, of course, they would drop 
 the bag of oysters, which we would capture, as we expected them 
 to beat a hasty retreat, but lo and behold, when we fired, instead 
 of running, Lean Scott quietly dismounted and said to his brother, 
 "Here, Yaller, hold her creter till we-ens doos some shooten." 
 We lost no time in making ourselves known to them and they 
 quietly said, "Why, we-ens took you-ens for Yankees," and they 
 ate their oysters at the Reserve Post while we looked on. 
 
 * * * * 
 
 The following incident of a battle is related by an eyewitness. 
 Two Kentucky regiments Yankee and Confederate met face 
 to face and fought each other with terrible resolution, and it hap 
 pened that one of the Yankee boys wounded and captured his 
 brother, and after handing him back, began firing at a man near 
 a tree, when the captured brother called to him and said : "Don t 
 shoot there any more ; that s father." 
 
 * # * * 
 
 On the Warren raid in December, 1864, one of Butlers Cavalry 
 stopped at a house and said to the lady, who asked what he 
 wished, "Madam, could you lend me your frying pan? I belong 
 to the picket down here." "Yes, sir," and forthwith came the 
 pan. He took it, looked in it, turned it over and looked into it 
 very hard as if not certain it was clean. "Well, sir," said the 
 lady, "can I do anything more for you?" "Could could could 
 you lend me a piece of meat to fry in it, madam?" and he 
 
 laughed in spite of himself. He got it. 
 
 * * * * 
 
 When General B. F. Butler was in command at New Orleans, 
 he was informed that Father Ryan, priest and poet, had said he 
 would even refuse to hold funeral services for a dead Yankee. 
 General B. F. Butler sent for him in haste, and began roundly 
 scolding him for expressing such unchristian and rebellious senti 
 ments. "General," the wily priest answered, "you have been mis 
 informed. I would be pleased to conduct funeral services for all 
 
 the Yankee officers and men in New Orleans." 
 
 * * * * 
 
 Colonel B. W. Ball, adjutant on General Gary s staff, was sent 
 early one morning with some message to Colonel R. B. Arnold, 
 colonel of the Hampton Legion. When he reached Colonel 
 
484 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Arnold, the battle was raging and minnie balls falling thick and 
 fast. When Colonel Ball approached Arnold, the latter stepped 
 from a small tree with which he was sheltering* himself from the 
 fire of the enemy, and very politely said to Colonel Ball, "Good 
 morning, Ball," and with a wave of the hand added, "have my 
 tree." Colonel Ball said he (Arnold) was the coolest and politest 
 man he ever saw. 
 
 One day General Hampton told Major P., who commanded one 
 of Butler s battalions of cavalry, to charge some Yankee infantry. 
 The major and his men were dismounted, and not accustomed to 
 march on foot. Just before reaching the Yankees, the major 
 called to General Hampton and said, "The sperit are willing but 
 the wind are short." The major was brave but forgot to attend 
 college in the days of his youth. 
 
 A captain in a certain South Carolina regiment was ordered to 
 charge some Yankees in a lane, and he said, "Men, remember 
 where you are from and follow me," and after the first volley had 
 been fired, he ran into a fence corner and said, "Go ahead, my 
 brave boys, for your good old capen has give out." 
 
 On my way from the surrender in 1865, an Irishman was riding 
 with me, Pat Delaney by name. Pat said, "Well, they whipped 
 us, and faith it was all thev could do." 
 
 On the eve of the Battle of the Wilderness, General Gordon 
 asked an officer to join him in prayer. The officer not catching 
 the last word said, "No, thank you, I have just had some." Just 
 then a ragged private was passing and was called on to pray 
 and men could pray at such times, knowing that within the next 
 hour or two one or more would be lying in the dust. On this 
 occasion, the soldier began : "O Lord, thou knowest we are about 
 to engage in a terrible conflict. If you take the proper view of 
 the subject At this time the hearers lost their gravity, and 
 fought the battle, giggling for some time. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 485 
 
 THE TENDEREST ARE THE BRAVEST. 
 
 In the winter of 1863 Dick Hogan was doing good work behind 
 the Yankee lines with his squad of gallant scouts, capturing and 
 sending prisoners out to our lines. Hogan could not strip a pris 
 oner, but he needed a watch, and said to his men, "Boys, I wish 
 some one of you would get me a watch." So the next day they 
 captured some prisoners and one of them had a fine silver watch 
 with a very long chain. When the scouts drew lots for the cap 
 tured things, Walker Russell got the chain and Wallace Miller 
 got the watch and gave it to Dick, which he appreciated very 
 much, and said, "You know, Wallace, I did not have the heart 
 to take it from a prisoner." 
 
 Once while Butler s cavalry were fighting, dismounted, the end 
 of our line happened to be in the yard of a country house and 
 an old lady ran out with a broomstick, and a married man said, 
 "Why, you can t kill anybody with that," and she replied, "I 
 know I can t but I can let them know what side I am on." 
 
 From "Our Women in the War" I take the following from 
 letter No. 36, by Miss Annie E. Johns, which she copied from her 
 old scrapbook, called the "Confederate Soldier s Bride," as show 
 ing the true feeling of our noble Southern women : 
 
 "They said I must not wed thee, love, 
 
 They told me I must wait 
 Till these dark days were over before 
 
 I linked with thine my fate ; 
 But hearts that love not cannot choose 
 
 For hearts that love like mine; 
 All all that life can give of strength 
 
 Is mine, now I am thine." 
 
 She goes on to say, "How strangely was the ludicrous mingled 
 with hospital life." "I do not know what made that man die," 
 said a nurse, as we stood looking at all that was mortal of a poor 
 soldier, "for the doctors gave him some of all the medicine in the 
 drug store." 
 
486 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 A poor old woman came from Georgia to see her sick son, after 
 sending sage in a letter to make tea for him, and arrived in time 
 to see his dead body. I remember the name *m his headboard, 
 "B. Still," and characteristic it was of him. 
 
 On the 9th of April, 1865, at Appomattox, General Wallace 
 had only about 200 men left in his old brigade and they were 
 drawn up in line of battle, ready to fight, while just in front of 
 them were four lines of battle of well-dressed Yankees, also 
 ready to fight, and some one gave the order for the Confederates 
 to charge, when a long, quaint private of this brigade with the 
 crown of his old gray hat gone, his shoes had also departed weeks 
 before, and his only apparel was an old Yankee overcoat and a 
 pair of old gray pants with the strap of his cartridge box drawn 
 tight around his waist to keep them intact, and when he heard 
 the order to charge, jumped across a little branch and fired his 
 gun at the Yankees and said, "Come on, gen-tile-men, we are 
 giving them hell!" He soon heard the command, "Cease firing!" 
 "General Lee has surrendered." This brave soldier, at this sad 
 news, threw his gun down and cried like a child. 
 
 In October, 1906, two of Butler s old scouts met for the first 
 time since the war, Dick Hogan and Wallace Miller. They 
 embraced and wept. I witnessed the scene, and like the boy who 
 stubbed his toe and was too big to cry, slipped off and used my 
 handkerchief, for I myself had not seen old Dick since 1865. 
 
 At the battle of Sailor s Creek, Virginia, just before General 
 Lee reached Appomattox, General Kershaw was captured, together 
 with a good many others, among whom was Colonel C. S. 
 D wight, who was ordered by a private soldier to surrender at 
 once and demanded his sword and pistol, but, much to the surprise 
 of the Yank, Colonel Dwight swore that he be d d if he would 
 surrender to a private, and while they were in this heated con 
 troversy a Yankee officer rode up and the Yankee private apprised 
 the officer of the predicament that he was in. So the officer took 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 487 
 
 charge of Colonel Dwight and complimented him for his pluck, 
 but was silent as to his judgment, as the Federal soldier had a 
 
 right to shoot him. 
 
 * * * * 
 
 Just after the war a prominent railroad man, together with a 
 capitalist from the North were strolling along the side of a 
 mountain near Asheville, N. C., when they spied a typical Con 
 federate soldier coming towards them. He was lank and lean, 
 and looked sad. The railroad man suggested to the capitalist to 
 ask the Confederate to tell them why he fought in the Confed 
 erate army, as he had never owned a slave, and the old soldier 
 replied that early in 1861 a man came along and made a fine 
 speech and told them "that they had crossed over ; and, stranger." 
 said he, "I went home and got my gun and fought four long 
 years, and would have fought til yit, but Marse Robert said 
 stop fighting, and, stranger, we just cried and come home." This 
 is patriotism in its last analysis. 
 
 A prominent Confederate officer in 1864 said to his faithful 
 negro: "Now, Bob, we have concluded to put all of the able- 
 bodied slaves in the war and give them their freedom when it is 
 over. What do you think of it?" Old Bob looked at him and 
 scratched his head and said : "Boss, jest let me tell you. Did you 
 ever see a bone do anything when two dogs was a fighting 
 over it?" U. R. B. 
 
488 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 THE CONFEDERATE SOLDIER 
 
 "The Confederate soldier was a venerable old man, a youth, a 
 child, a preacher, a farmer, a merchant, a student, a statesman, 
 orator, father, brother, husband, son the wonder of the world, 
 the terror of his foes ! When we fill up hurriedly the bloody 
 chasm opened by war, we should be careful that we do not bury 
 therein many noble deeds, some tender memories, some grand 
 examples and some hearty promises washed with tears." 
 
 The Yankees are a great people, for they have, without a doubt, 
 proven to the world that the Confederate soldiers were the 
 greatest warriors that were ever produced. By the ingenuity of 
 the Yankees they have placed high up on the roll of fame a 
 Lee, a Jackson, a Johnston, a Forrest, a Hampton and a Butler. 
 They have also shown to mankind that they fought with great 
 courage, and that it took more than four of them four years to 
 convince one Confederate that it would be murder to continue 
 the struggle any longer. Therefore at Appomattox on the 9th 
 April, 1865, Lee ordered his 8,000 veterans to lay down their 
 muskets and to cease firing. More than one hundred and sixty 
 thousand Yankees Avitnessed the surrender and immediately 
 divided their rations with their brothers in grey, who were suf 
 fering from hunger, the most dreadful of human tortures. None 
 but a great people could have acted so magnanimously while the 
 sound of the "Rebel Yell" was so fresh in their ears. A yell 
 which had caused them ,to stampede and leave many bloody 
 fields which were strewn with their dead, with cannon, small 
 arms, horses, saddles, blankets and wagons. And I well remember 
 the 16th September, 1864, when about 2,500 head of beeves were 
 turned over to Hampton, and this same Rebel yell caused 270.000 
 Yankees to throw down their arms and surrender to the Johnny 
 Rebs, as it pleased them to call the Confederates. The Yankees 
 are silent about the above facts, for on their own merits modest 
 men are dumb. 
 
 War is a dreadful thing more horrible than any of this 
 younger generation can ever realize. Many families were almost 
 exterminated in our war. General Grant said, in the early part 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 489 
 
 of 1864, that if he consented to exchange prisoners that with two 
 hundred thousand Rebel prisoners turned loose Sherman s army 
 would be destroyed and his own army would be in great danger, 
 and that the Rebels would have to be exterminated before they 
 would surrender. 
 
 Before the war there lived on a beautiful plantation in Fau- 
 quier Count}^, about eight miles from Midland, Va., William and 
 Elizabeth Dulin, whose home was the scene of many gay and 
 happy events, and the owners were known far and wide for their 
 old-fashioned Virginia hospitality. At the beginning of the 
 war, in 1861, there were living of this family the mother, one 
 daughter, Mrs. Peyton Oliver, and six sons John, Lemuel, Mel- 
 vin, Edward, James and William. The father had passed away 
 several years before and was saved from sharing the trouble and 
 sorrow of those left behind brought on by the dark and bloody 
 days of the sixties, but when Virginia seceded and called for 
 troops to defend the South, five of her sons and the husband of 
 her only daughter were among the first to volunteer their services. 
 John, Lemuel and Edward were members of Captain Randolph s 
 company of the Forty-ninth Virginia regiment, as was also their 
 brother-in-law, Peyton Oliver; James was a scout, first for Gen 
 eral Wade Hampton and afterwards for General M. C. Butler, 
 having joined the Second South Carolina Cavalry, Butler s old 
 regiment. Jim said Butler was such a grand man in battle, 
 though he (Dulin) was a Virginian he just had to join his 
 cavalry. William, at the age of fifteen, joined the famous black 
 horse company of cavalry. Lemuel was killed in the first battle 
 of Manassas, and John died in camp of fever at Manassas a short 
 time after. Edward was wounded in the battle of the Wilderness, 
 6th May, 1864, and was last seen by one of his comrades sitting 
 propped up against a tree. It became necessary for the regiment 
 to retreat and it was supposed that he was captured and taken 
 to a Northern prison and died there and buried with the uniden 
 tified. William was shot down in cold blood on the corner of 
 Main and Culpeper streets in Warrenton by a Captain Farns- 
 worth, of a company in the Eighth Illinois cavalry. Several of 
 the members of the Black Horse Cavalry Avere surprised in War 
 renton and as the odds were against them they made a dash to 
 escape capture, and rejoined their company. William Dulin s 
 
490 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 horse fell with him and while in a semi-conscious condition from 
 the fall he was immediately shot and mortally wounded while 
 he lay prostrate upon the street by Captain Farnsworth. The 
 members of the Black Horse company swore vengeance against 
 this same captain, and he was told by Mrs. James Catlett, of 
 Catlett Station, that every member of the company had his 
 (Farnsworth s) name engraved upon their cartridge boxes, and 
 that it would be only a matter of time until he would meet his 
 fate. On the 3rd day of July, 1863, Farnsworth led a charge at 
 Gettysburg, w r here he received a mortal wound, and before he 
 \vould surrender he deliberately took his own pistol and blew his 
 brains out, and thus ended the brilliant career of this reckless 
 man who rose from captain in the Eighth Illinois to colonel of 
 the regiment, and then to brigadier-general. When the Yankee 
 General Kilpatrick ordered him to charge he was slow to obey, 
 and Kilpatrick told him if he did not move at once that he would 
 lead the charge himself, which order nettled him and he said: 
 "Sir, you cannot lead a charge where I would be afraid to go." 
 Farnsworth saw that it was hell and realized it. 
 
 After William s death Jim Dulin was the only one left of the 
 six boys, as Melvin had died of consumption soon after the death 
 of John and Lemuel. The mother had followed them about two 
 years later. The loss of her boys and destruction of her property, 
 and the possibility of even greater evils yet to come, was more 
 than she could stand, and she was laid beside those whom she had 
 reared to be killed in battle in defence of all that was dear to 
 them and every true Southerner. She died, however, with the 
 sweet satisfaction that npt one of her sons faltered when duty 
 called him. In less than three years a family of eight members 
 had been reduced to only two James and his sister were the only 
 survivors. When James heard of the foul murder of his brother, 
 William, in Warrenton he took a solemn oath that he would never 
 again, under any circumstances, either give or ask quarter, and 
 that he would take a hundred lives to pay for the life of his mur 
 dered brother, and it was claimed by his comrades who had his 
 confidence that he more than fulfilled his oath. Jim was the 
 handiest gentleman I ever saw in a rough and tumble fight. As 
 Ed Wells says, Jim shot to kill and not to wound. The Yanks 
 that he shot seldom needed the services of a surgeon. From the 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 491 
 
 time of the death of his brother William, on to the end of the war, 
 his deeds of bravery were so dashing and reckless as to often 
 merit the praise of his chiefs, the great cavalry leaders, Hampton 
 and Butler. 
 
 The last fight I saw Jim in was at Cantey s Farm on Lynches 
 River, in Kershaw County, S. C., then District, on the 24th Feb 
 ruary, 1864. Jim led the charge and shot two Yankees before his 
 comrades could catch up with him. The poor fellow was shot 
 through the thigh, as I have already described in a previous 
 chapter. At the close of the war Jim returned home broken in 
 health, and sad at heart, to find a scene of desolation and ruin, 
 where for so many years peace, prosperity and happiness had 
 reigned supreme. He had contracted lung trouble from so much 
 exposure to all kinds of weather as a scout, and his doctor advised 
 a change of climate, so with a few hundred dollars as his share of 
 what was realized from the wreck of the once thriving plantation, 
 he started for Missouri to begin life anew. As he had left school 
 at the age of 17 to take up arms in defence of the South, the first 
 thing he did after reaching his destination was to set about the 
 completion of his education, and that accomplished, he then 
 taught in the district schools and in the high school of Platt City 
 for a number of years. On account of his health he then bought 
 a farm and engaged in farming. He married a Miss Duncan, of 
 Platt County, and was quite prosperous up to the date of his 
 death, in 1876, brought on by a sudden attack of pneumonia. He 
 left a widow, one son and two daughters, all living now, and the 
 son, Robert Melvin Dulin, is the only one to perpetuate the Dulin 
 name in his branch of the family. 
 
 The South owes the name of Dulin a monument which should 
 be placed at the corner of Main and Culpeper streets, in Warren- 
 ton, Va. 
 
 All of Butler s men fought well, for whenever danger had to 
 be faced or duty to be done at cost to self his gallant boys in grey 
 drew inspiration from his cool deeds, for they all agreed there 
 was but one Butler. The war over, his men tried to be as good 
 citizens as they had been soldiers. We were all in the position of 
 old Brother Journegan in East Tennessee when Longstreet s corps 
 passed through that section in November, 1863. Upon reaching 
 a little town near Bristol they found the people very much 
 
492 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 divided between the Union and Confederacy. Now, the Confed 
 erates liked Brother Journeygan almost as much as the Union 
 people did, because he was really a good neighbor, and they told 
 Longstreet s soldiers that Brother Journeygan would come to 
 town, and when he saw them he would be apt to get drunk and 
 holler for Abe Lincoln and the flag, so they promised the people 
 that they would not hurt him. So when he rode up and looked 
 at the Confederates they at once arrested and court-martialed him 
 and told him to holler three cheers for the Confederacy and Jeff 
 Davis, but he swore he be d d if he would do it. So they ordered 
 out a squad of men with loaded guns and told him to stand about 
 ten paces from the guns pointed at him. and the officer in com 
 mand indicated that he could obey the order or be shot. So he 
 said, "Three cheers for the Confederacy and Jeff Davis as things 
 now stand." 
 
 We are all good Union people today as things now stand. 
 
BUTLER AXD His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 493 
 
 PRISON LIFE 
 
 The principles for which we fought will never die. 
 Our cause was not lost. 
 
 The nation for which we offered our all is dead. 
 It died amid battle, its life crushed out by overwhelming num 
 bers. 
 
 Its flag trailed not in defeat or disaster. 
 
 Born to save constitutional liberty to the South, it lived a heroic 
 struggle for independence and home rule and died. 
 Its memories are its own. 
 
 None other can appreciate them nor share them. 
 The total enlistments in the Yankee army were 2,778,304 as 
 against 600,000 Confederates. 
 
 Whites from the North 1,777,433 
 
 Whites from the South 316,424 
 
 Foreigners 494,900 
 
 Negroes 186,017 
 
 Indians 3,500 
 
 Thus it appears that we fought the world, the flesh and the 
 devil. 
 
 South Carolina was the only State in the South that did not 
 send an organized body of men to the Yankee army. 
 Here is an unpublished order. (I have the original.) 
 
 H. Q. A. N. V., 
 30th May, 1864, 8 a. m. 
 
 GENERAL : General Lee directs me to say that General Pitz Lee has just 
 reported that the force of the enemy that was on our left at McKenzie s 
 corner yesterday afternoon has withdrawn by the way it came by Dr. 
 Shelton s. The general thinks the enemy is moving around towards our 
 right, and desires that you will push some bold scouting parties up the 
 road in which your command is and endeavor to ascertain which way they 
 are going. You will extend this information to Colonel Gary and request 
 him to move up the roads he occupies, sending forward good scouting 
 parties, and try to find out where the enemy is crossing. Use every prudent 
 means to find out which way the enemy are going. 
 
 Very respectfully, your obt. servt, 
 
 C. MARSHALL, 
 Brig. Genl. Butler, Comdg., etc. Lt. Col. and A. D. C. 
 
494 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 But for Butler s brigade at Trevillian Station, Richmond would 
 have fallen. The Yankee General Sheridan said after this battle 
 that he had met Butler s South Carolina brigade, and he hoped 
 he would never meet them again. He had fought them at Hawe s 
 Shop, 28th May, 1864, and Second Cold Harbor, 3rd June, 1864, 
 and Trevillian llth and 12th June, 1864. One of Sheridan s bri 
 gades charged Hart s battery about 1 o clock of the first day s 
 fight at Trevillian, and General Hampton took one of Butler s 
 regiments (the Sixth Cavalry) and routed them in confusion. He 
 emptied two saddles with his own pistol. In 1901 I asked him 
 how many Yankees he had killed and he said eleven, "two with 
 my sword and nine with my pistol." I said, "How about the two 
 at Trevillian Station?" "Oh, well, I did not count them, they 
 were running." Sheridan never met Butler s brigade again, as 
 he was sent to the valley, perhaps by his request, and Butler 
 remained with General Hampton on the right of Lee s army 
 below Petersburg until January, 1865, when he was ordered with 
 General Hampton to South Carolina. Butler s brigade had been 
 in the saddle for about two weeks, fighting nearly every da}^ and 
 after defeating Sheridan at Trevillian we had to make a forced 
 march to arrest the Yankee General Wilson s raid at Sapony 
 Church on the right of our army. The men were worn out and 
 the horses were jaded. General Butler said to General Hampton 
 that the only way to whip Wilson would be by strategy, and sug 
 gested that if he could pick one hundred men he would surprise 
 and rout Wilson that night. General Hampton very reluctantly 
 consented, and about 2 o clock Butler with his little Spartan 
 band was in Wilson s rear, the rebel yell and the shots from the 
 Enfield rifles were too much for Wilson and his three thousand 
 fresh troops, who stampeded and were soon in the rear of the 
 Yankee infantry. When Butler and Wilson were major-generals 
 in the Cuban War in 1898 General Wilson asked General Butler 
 how many men he had when he surprised him at Sapony Church. 
 When Butler told him 100, Wilson said, "For God s sake don t tell 
 it on me." General Hampton said that Butler was the best cav 
 alry officer he ever saw. If any general on either side ever accom- 
 pished more with one hundred men than Butler did at Sapony 
 Church, I never heard of it. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 495 
 
 The total number of Yankee prisoners captured by the Confed 
 erates was 270,000 by the report of Surgeon General Barnes, as 
 quoted by Ben Hill in his famous reply to Blaine as shown by the 
 official records in the War Department. The whole number of 
 Confederate prisoners captured by the Yankees was 220,000. At 
 once it is seen that the Yankees were 50,000 more than the Con 
 federates. The number of Yankees who died in Confederate 
 prisons was 22,576, and the number of Confederates who died in 
 Yankee prisons was 26,436. 
 
 On the 8th August, 1864, General U. S. Grant sent a telegram 
 to Yankee General Beast Butler as follows: "On the subject of 
 exchange, however, I differ with General Hitchcock. It is hard 
 on our men held in Southern prisons not to release them, but it is 
 humanity to those left in the ranks to fight our battles. To com 
 mence a system of exchange now which liberates all prisoners 
 taken, we will have to fight on until the whole South is extermin 
 ated. If we hold those already caught they amount to no more 
 than so many dead men. At this particular time to release all 
 Rebel prisoners would insure Sherman s defeat and compromise 
 our safety here." 
 
 What a compliment to the Confederate soldier from General 
 Grant, who did not seem to mind having his own men slaugh 
 tered. Grant was a fighter without strategy, and that was why he 
 was so inferior to General R. E. Lee. From the 30th of May to 
 the 3rd of June, 1864, General Lee had our cavalry harassing 
 Grant s army, and finally led him into the trap Lee had set for 
 him at Second Cold Harbor, 3rd June, 1864, when our army killed 
 and wounded 13,000 of Grant s army in one hour, and the pris 
 oners our cavalry captured later in the day told us that Grant 
 did his best to make his men charge our lines again, but they 
 refused to move and Grant withdrew his great army and halted 
 in front of Petersburg. 
 
 After abundant and indubitable proofs the responsibility for 
 the suffering of prisoners North and South has been laid upon 
 the authorities of the United States Government, and there let it 
 abide in history. 
 
 The cause of the South could not be better stated than in Gen 
 eral Order No. 16, General Lee to the Army of Northern Virginia, 
 which says : 
 
 32 B. C. 
 
496 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 "Let every soldier remember that on his courage and fidelity 
 depends all that makes life worth living. The freedom of his 
 country, the honor of his people and the security of his home." 
 
 I mean no disrespect in calling the men who composed the 
 Northern army Yankees. I glory in the fact that I was a Con 
 federate soldier. What a privilege it was to fight under such men 
 as M. C. Butler, Wade Hampton and R. E. Lee. 
 
 One of Butler s Captains in Prison 
 
 At your solicitation I herewith give you an account of how 
 Confederate officers were treated on Johnson s Island. I have 
 read your sketches of how Butler s scouts were treated at Point 
 Lookout and Fort Delaware. When Stuart started for Pennsyl 
 vania, of course Butler s cavalry was placed in front, and after 
 riding a day and a night we arrived at Upperville on 21st June, 
 1863, and just as we were about to leave, General Stuart ordered 
 a squadron of the First South Carolina Cavalry, under my com 
 mand, to dismount and hold a bridge just in our front. We took 
 our position behind a rock fence running parallel with the creek, 
 but very near the bridge. The Yankee cavalry soon approached 
 in large force and attempted to cross the bridge, but the fire from 
 our carbines was too much for them and they retreated in dis 
 order, but reformed and made a stubborn attack and were again 
 repulsed. They soon found fords above and below the bridge and 
 began to cross. 
 
 I then ordered a retreat, and in falling back several of my men, 
 like myself, were severely wounded and captured. The Yankees 
 carried us some distance to the rear, where our wounds were 
 dressed by an old surgeon who was very kind and attentive. We 
 were soon sent to the railroad and in due time were quartered in 
 the old capital, Washington, where I learned to my disgust that 
 officers were not to be exchanged, and only privates had that 
 honor. I have no complaint to make as to our treatment. We 
 had comfortable quarters and good food. I was surprised to find 
 it so, but I soon learned the cause. Mr. Wood was superintendent. 
 He was an old man and a Virginian. Captain White, his assis- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 497 
 
 tant, hated a Confederate more than he did a viper. As soon as 
 Mr. Wood got an opportunity he said : "Boys, I am a true blue 
 Virginian, too old to go to war, and thought I could do some 
 good for the boys in gray, and I am going to make all I can out 
 of the Yanks, and I shall see that you have plenty to eat and these 
 d d kinky heads will cook and wait on you." 
 
 When White was present Old Man Wood acted like he would 
 have been delighted to see all hanged. There were some thirty 
 officers among the prisoners. After some days we were notified 
 that the rest of our prison days would be spent on Johnson s 
 Island. When we arrived there we were permitted to bathe in the 
 lake only once. We were conducted to our quarters, which were 
 known as Block No. 11. We were tired and hungry, having 
 nothing to eat on our way from Washington to this prison hell, 
 which was too horrible to describe. Four of us entered a mess of 
 twelve. Dinner was soon served. I inquired: "Is this all you 
 have to eat?" And the pale and emaciated prisoners answered, 
 "Yes, and you will sometimes have less than this." 
 
 I don t think there was a hound dog but what would have 
 turned away from it in disgust. We soon found out that at times 
 the fare was much worse. The only delicacy we could get was 
 rats. Frequently you would see officers fishing in the slop tubs 
 for crumbs, squeezing the water out and eating them. I, together 
 with fifty or sixty other officers, occupied a room sixty feet long 
 with a small office stove and three pieces of green buckeye wood 
 for twenty- four hours. They gave us one blanket. The space 
 between the weatherboarding was so large that when there was a 
 snowdrift our blankets would be covered. A great many officers 
 died for want of food and clothing. 
 
 A Colonel Pearson was in command of the prison, and per 
 mitted sentinels to fire into our quarters at night for their amuse 
 ment, killing prisoners frequently. We determined to submit to 
 such barbarity no longer. We addressed a letter to Pearson 
 informing him that the next time our quarters were fired into 
 that we would break out and kill every man, woman and child 
 on the island and this put a stop to it. 
 
 ANGUS P. BROWN, 
 Captain Co. K, 1st S. C. Cavalry. 
 
498 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 On The Way Home 
 
 Augusta, Ga., November 30th. 190T. 
 Hon. U. R. Brooks, Columbia, S. C. 
 
 DEAR SIR : As I have written you of my experience as a Con 
 federate prisoner, and thinking my experience in making my way 
 home may be interesting, am writing you this. Brent and I were 
 given transportation from Fort Delaware, via Philadelphia, New 
 York and Savannah, to Albany, Georgia. We went by steamer 
 to Philadelphia, and were the first to leave the boat as we landed 
 there, and being desirous to go back through Virginia, we hur 
 ried to the transportation office to try and get our transportation 
 changed by way of Richmond, but the provost marshal would 
 not accommodate us, so we walked out determined to go the way 
 we wanted to if Ave had to walk, which proved true to a great 
 extent. 
 
 I put our transportation in my pocket, and still have it. Prob 
 ably some day when I am in New York I may yet have the 
 pleasure to ride home on Yankee transportation. The first thing 
 we did after leaving the provost marshal s office was to hustle 
 around to try and scrape around and get up enough money to 
 take us to Washington City, which we were not long in doing. 
 I had two dollars in cash and a dozen finger rings which I had 
 made while in prison. I had intended carrying them home for 
 keepsakes, but at that time money was want we needed, so I soon 
 disposed of them to Yankee girls, who were there in abundance. 
 I had no idea they would prove so valuable, for if I had there is 
 no telling how many I would have had along. After disposing 
 of the rings I then remembered a Dr. Shipping, Edward I believe 
 was his given name, who lived on Walnut street. Finally I found 
 his home, but he and his wife had gone to church, so I left my 
 name and said I would call later, and just as I was leaving, the 
 young lady who had answered my call asked me to wait a minute, 
 returning into the house and soon returned accompanied by two 
 other ladies. As soon as they saw me standing at the door, clad 
 in my old gray uniform what then was left of it they clapped 
 their hands and exclaimed, "A Rebel !" I said, "Don t get 
 excited, it s true I was once one of those things, but since I have 
 been forced to take the oath of allegiance to the United States, I 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 499 
 
 now consider myself as good a citizen as any one." They then 
 returned into the house, returning in a few minutes and one of 
 them gave me two dollars in greenbacks and the other two pairs 
 of socks. I don t know which I appreciated the most, the money 
 or the socks. The money was soon spent, but the socks lasted me 
 the rest of the year, as I used them only for Sunday. I thanked 
 them and left, going back to the provost marshal s office. There 
 was a large number standing, some sympathizers and some not. 
 The Mrs. Hill that I have already mentioned was there with 
 clothing and provisions for the South Carolinians, and spoke to 
 us, saying, "Boys, hold up year heads; I would rather be a 
 whipped Rebel any day than a Yankee." 
 
 While there Dr. Edward Shipping had returned home, where 
 some one had told him I had been there, so he hurried off to look 
 me up ; some one in the crowd pointed me out to him, so he came 
 up and touched me on the shoulder we never having seen each 
 other saying at the time for me "to step into an alley, as he 
 was a very prominent Republican and could not afford to be seen 
 talking to a Confederate soldier." He told me that he had done 
 a great deal for the Southern prisoners, as his wife was a 
 Southern woman. She was a daughter of General David Twiggs 
 of Georgia. He gave me five dollars and said he would like to 
 have me spend the night with him, but he was afraid his people 
 would think he was showing too much sympathy for the South. 
 He had previous to this sent me twenty dollars while I was in 
 prison. I thanked him and told him I would return him the 
 money when I got home, but this he would not listen to. 
 
 I then turned to look up Brent to apprise him of my good 
 fortune. Finally I found him and then we gave a little boy five 
 cents to show us the way to the depot. On our way the little boys 
 and girls would flock around us as negroes around a monkey 
 show. They almost tore what few clothes we did have on off, 
 begging us for rings and Confederate stamps. Finally we did 
 get to the depot and stepped into a restaurant to enquire when 
 the next train left for Wilmington, Delaware. There was a big 
 Dutchman standing behind the bar, and as soon as he saw us he 
 said, "Shonny Rebs, by dam ! Come up and have something to 
 drink !" We did not wait for the second invitation, as it had been 
 a long time since we had a "smile." He told us there would be no 
 
500 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 train going South until 6 A. M. the next morning. We then 
 began to enquire for some place to spend the night. He told us 
 he could accommodate us if we could put up with his fare. In a 
 short while five or six Yankee soldiers dropped in, and we 
 thought sure there was going to be trouble, so we began to get 
 on our war paint, but instead of treating us disrespectfully they 
 invited us up to have something to drink, which we did, deeming 
 this the more prudent way than to refuse, so we had several. 
 Finally the Dutchman announced that supper was ready, which 
 we did not fail to do justice to, and after we had finished he 
 showed us up to our room. We were not long in getting to bed and 
 were soon fast asleep. I don t remember whether we undressed 
 or not. The next morning we thought we had overslept ourselves, 
 so hurried down to find to our delight that we had plenty of time 
 to get breakfast, which we did. When we offered to pay for our 
 lodging, etc., the Dutchman refused to take a cent. After break 
 fast we secured tickets to Wilmington, Delaware. 
 
 We decided to lay over there for a while, as I was anxious to 
 see a Mr. J. D. Yates, who had been very kind to me while I was 
 in prison. He was from Charleston, S. C., and had moved up 
 North, just before the war began, for his health and to educate his 
 children. He had a nephew, Dr. Joseph Yates, who was surgeon 
 of my regiment, and as soon as he heard what prison I was con 
 fined in he wrote his uncle and also sent me his address. It turned 
 out he had written his uncle to furnish me with money and any 
 other things that would be acceptable to a prisoner of war. When 
 I found his home he was sick, and his physician had left instruc 
 tion for no one to be allowed to see him. As luck would have it, 
 the doctor came in while I was there and found him much 
 improved. When they told him I was there he sent for me and 
 when he saw me he seemed as glad to see me as if I had been his 
 own son. I had never seen him before nor heard of him until I 
 was captured. I remained there until the next day, and when I 
 left he gave me five dollars and requested me to write him when 
 I got home. We then bought tickets to Baltimore and stopped 
 over there one night. We found there good Southern friends 
 and a plenty of them. The next day we ran down to Washing 
 ton and hurried on to get across the Potomac once more. We 
 transferred from the depot by street cars down to the wharf and 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 501 
 
 there across the river by steam ferryboat to Alexandria. The 
 town was black with Yankees on their way home. This was in 
 the afternoon. While walking down the street looking for some 
 place to get something to eat, on our way a Yankee stepped up 
 in front of Brent, halted him, taking out his knife and cutting a 
 button from his jacket without saying anything else and walked 
 off. Finally we found a friend in a Mr. Massey, who ran a 
 restaurant. He told us to call for anything in his place. He 
 would not allow us to pay for anything, all that he asked was that 
 we would not allow the Yankees to see that he was doing any 
 thing for us, as he was afraid they would destroy his place. We 
 spent the night with him and the next morning caught the train, 
 but before leaving he gave us a five- dollar bill. We didn t go 
 very far on our way to Eichmond on the train, as the railroads 
 had been torn up. Sometimes we had to walk fifty miles in one 
 stretch. When we reached Fauquier County, where we were cap 
 tured, we spent around in that neighborhood about a week with 
 the people who had been so kind to us and so loyal to the South. 
 Of course we hated very much to leave them, but we remembered 
 that we had loved ones at home, who knew not whether we were 
 dead or alive, and who were more anxious to see us than any one 
 else. We made our way on to Richmond, walking most of the 
 way, stayed there a day and night and went on to Petersburg. 
 In passing through the battlefields some of the graves were fresh, 
 the grass not having had time to grow. 
 
 Finally when we got into North Carolina we found that all the 
 railroads had been torn up. Sometimes we would ride fifty miles, 
 then have to walk one hundred. Very often we would have to 
 sleep by the roadside in the corner of fences or anywhere else 
 night would catch us. Everything seemed to be destroyed. On 
 these long hot tramps the skin pealed off the soles of our feet, but 
 we knew we must not lose courage, so we kept on tramping, 
 tramping. We tried to sing "Bonnie Blue Flag" and "Dixie," 
 but the most of the music had been knocked out of us and we 
 didn t make much headway. Sometimes we could hardly hold 
 out from one shade tree to the other, but after a while the soles 
 of our feet began to get hardened and we made better time. 
 Finally we reached the line of old South Carolina, which, of 
 course, gave us heart, but even when we had gotten thus far the 
 
502 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 distance was oh, so long. What fools we seemed to be, there 
 nearly dead from fatigue, hunger, etc., and free transportation in 
 our pockets, which would have almost put uson our doorsteps. 
 But we had accomplished what we set out to do, and that was to 
 get another glimpse of "brown eyes in old Virginia." 
 
 All through South Carolina we found conditions about the 
 same as they had been all along the way everything destroyed 
 and railroads torn up, bridges burned, etc. 
 
 We only got one horseback ride on our whole way, and that was 
 on one Sunday we stopped at a widow lady s house to get dinner. 
 She stopped us at the gate and asked us if we were "any of Mr. 
 Wheeler s men?" It was some little time before we could convince 
 her that we did not belong to Wheeler s command, though finally 
 we did, and she invited us in and gave us dinner. After dinner, 
 as we were about to move on, she told us she would send us as far 
 as the river "if we could ride on side-saddles." We assured her 
 that we could, so she had two horses saddled and we mounted, she 
 sending a negro along to bring the horses back. It was about six 
 miles to the river I think it was Saluda. When we got there we 
 found the ferryboat on the opposite side and could not get them to 
 come over after us, so we started down the river hunting for a 
 batteau. Finally we found one and it wasn t long before we were 
 gliding to the other shore. 
 
 I don t remember how many days it took us to get to old Edge- 
 field, but we did finally reach there on the Fourth of July. About 
 three miles out we stopped at an old gentleman s to get dinner. 
 There was a little girl out in the yard churning. I asked her 
 where her father was, and she, thinking we were Yankees, would 
 not tell us. Now that same little girl is my wife, and has been 
 for the past thirty odd years. 
 
 Finally the old gentleman came and invited us to dinner. We 
 spent the night there and the next day he sent us down to Ham 
 burg, just opposite Augusta. We walked into Augusta and went 
 to the old Augusta Hotel, stayed there a few minutes and sepa 
 rated. I have never seen Brent since. He said he was going to 
 Atlanta, and if everything was burned out there he was going on 
 out to Texas. I spent several days around Augusta, then made 
 my way home down in Miller County, in the southwestern part 
 of the State. I went from Augusta to Albany, which was about 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 503 
 
 fifty miles from my home. When I got home mother and father 
 had not been there long, they having been to the depot and heard 
 that I was dead. Of course, you can imagine their feelings when 
 I walked in. Yours truly, 
 
 J. H. PIERCE. 
 
 War is an awful thing particularly so when the same people 
 in the same country are busily engaged for four long years killing 
 each other but with all the bitterness and suffering there were 
 religious men in both armies who by their example made their 
 comrades cheerful and hopeful, who were for wit and fun. 
 
 A beautiful Southern girl, on her daily mission of love and 
 mercy, asked a badly wounded soldier boy what she could do for 
 him. He replied, "I m greatly obliged to you, but it is too late 
 for you to do anything for me. I am so badly shot that I can t 
 live long." "Will you not let me pray for you? I hope that I 
 am one of the Lord s daughters, and I would ask Him to help 
 you." Looking intently into her face, he replied, "Yes, pray at 
 once, and ask the Lord to let me be his son-in-law." 
 
 After the evacuation of Petersburg in April, 1865, when gloom 
 hung over the Confederacy, some of our generals gathered 
 together in a small log hut and united in prayer to Almighty God 
 for His guidance. As they assembled one of our generals w T as 
 riding in hailing distance and General Heth stepped to the door 
 and called to him to come in and unite with them in prayer. The 
 officer did not understand the nature of the invitation and replied, 
 "No, thank you, General, no more at present; I ve just had some." 
 A private was called on one night to pray and he said in a clear, 
 ringing voice, "Oh, Lord, we are having a mighty big fight down 
 here and a sight of trouble; and we do hope, Lord, that you will 
 take a proper view of this subject and give us the victory." 
 
 We take the following from the graphic pen of Dr. Henry 
 Alexander White: 
 
 "Winter poured down its snows and its sleets upon Lee s shelter 
 less men in the trenches. Some of them burrowed into the earth. 
 Most of them shivered over the feeble fires kept burning along the 
 lines. Scanty and thin were the garments of these heroes. Most 
 of them were clad in mere rags. Gaunt famine oppressed them 
 
504 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 every hour. One-quarter of a pound of rancid bacon and a little 
 meal was the daily portion assigned to each man by the rules of 
 the War Department. But even this allowance failed when the 
 railroads broke down and left the bacon and flour and the 
 meal piled up beside the tracks in Georgia and the Carolinas. 
 One-sixth of this daily ration was the allotment for a considerable 
 time, and very often the supply of bacon failed entirely. With 
 dauntless hearts these gaunt- faced men endured the almost cease 
 less fire of Grant s mortar batteries. The frozen fingers of Lee s 
 army of sharpshooters clutched the musket barrel with an aim 
 so steady that Grant s men scarcely lifted their heads from their 
 bomb-proofs. 
 
 "All lost ! but by the graves, 
 
 Where martyred heroes rest, 
 He wins the most who honor saves 
 Success is not the test." 
 
 Butler s Scouts in Yankee Prisons 
 
 Butler s scouts in Yankee prisons, as I remember them: Newt. 
 Fowles, Wallace Miller, Jim Dulin, John H. Pierce, Sol Legare, 
 Bill Turner, Walker Russell, Shake Harris and others. 
 
 On the 12th November, 1864, Wallace Miller was captured and 
 was carried to City Point and kept in close confinement for about 
 two weeks, when he was sent to Point Lookout. Fortunately for 
 the scouts they always managed to have a few greenbacks sewed 
 up in their underclothes as to where they got the money was 
 their business. Several of Butler s scouts bought the Yankee 
 doctors. Newt. Fowles paid a Yankee doctor fifty dollars to let 
 him out. After the war he met this same doctor right here on 
 the streets of Columbia, but, of course, they were like the old 
 fellow was when his bull hooked him, they would pass and repass, 
 but never spoke again. The bull, like the doctor, was for sale. 
 
 Bill Turner gave a Yankee doctor ten dollars to let him out. 
 An exchanged prisoner died and the doctor marked Bill Turner 
 dead, and Bill was released in the dead man s name. One night 
 in November, 1864, in Virginia, I was sleeping on the ground 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 505 
 
 with Jesse Hart, and just before day Bill Turner got under the 
 blanket with us. We were delighted to see him, and the first 
 thing he said was, "Boys, never surrender," and then proceeded 
 to tell of the horrors of prison life, which so impressed me that 
 I have really never surrendered. On the 25th April, 1865, Gen 
 eral Butler started me home with his horses and Johnston sur 
 rendered the next day, and no one has asked me to surrender, 
 and it is too late now to entertain the idea of such a thing in 
 fact, I don t want to surrender, and I am sorry that any Confed 
 erate had to surrender. 
 
 r 
 
 Jim Dulin was captured twice, and being a very slick proposi 
 tion, they could not hold him. Jim always had United States cur 
 rency somewhere concealed about his person and lived better in 
 prison than some others, who died for the want of proper nour 
 ishment. A fellow prisoner was, in the spring of 1864, booked to 
 be exchanged, and Jim fixed the doctor and paid the prisoner one 
 thousand dollars in Confederate money that he borrowed from 
 Newt. Fowles, to let him take his place. The poor prisoner said, 
 "Mr. Dulin, will you please take this thousand dollars home to 
 my wife and children, they are starving?" When Jim placed the 
 money in the poor woman s hands she had no further trouble 
 in keeping the wolf from the door. 
 
 One rainy morning, 24th February, 1865, at Cantey s Farm, on 
 Lynche s creek, Jim Dulin, who was quite handy with his pistol, 
 came galloping up on his little horse and reported to General 
 Butler that about 200 Yankee infantry foragers were engaged in 
 pillaging Mr. Cantey s house and outbuildings preparatory to 
 applying the torch. "They have stacked arms," said Dulin. 
 General Butler ordered Colonel Eutledge to take the remnant of 
 his regiment, the Fourth South Carolina Cavalry, and bag the 
 last one of them. Dulin rode beside Colonel Rutledge. 
 
 In the language of Ed. Wells: "Dulin was a rather small 
 person, inoffensive in appearance, light in weight and wiry, but 
 not athletic in build. His manners were excellent and the tones 
 of his voice habitually gentle. But he was like a bloodhound on 
 the trail of human blood, and a very devil in action, a wonderful 
 pistol shot, seldom missing even when at full speed. 
 
 "When Rutledge shouted charge, the Fourth made quick, clean 
 work. But, as for Dulin, like a tiger on his prey, horse and rider 
 
506 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 sprang among them and as rapidly as you could fire a right and 
 left at partridges, two bummers lay dead (he had a knack of 
 killing, not wounding). He scored a third just afterwards, and 
 more for aught I know." 
 
 Jim Dulin was shot in the thigh and rode in one of Butler s 
 captured wagons to Cheraw, S. C., where he met his old chum 
 and fellow scout, Newt. Fowles, who had just bought his way out 
 of prison as above described; paid Newt. Fowles back the money 
 he borrowed from him with which to pay his way out of prison, 
 and swapped his little black horse for a mule and bought a buggy. 
 He and his friend Fowles put one end of a short plank under the 
 cushion and put the other end on the dashboard of the buggy 
 in order for Jim to rest his wounded leg. So off they started for 
 Greensboro, N. C., to put Jim on the train to go back to his 
 desecrated home in Fauquier County, Va. When they had gone 
 about six miles from Cheraw the mule proved to be a mule by 
 getting stubborn, so they traded the mule off to Mr. Pegues for 
 one of his carriage horses, a big gray. At Greensboro, Newt. 
 Fowles put his friend on board the cars and with an affectionate 
 good-bye they parted never to meet again. 
 
 One of Butler s Scouts at Point Lookout 
 
 The half will never be told certain horrors cannot be printed. 
 
 On the 12th November, 1864, one of Butler s scouts was cap 
 tured by a party of the Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry in Prince 
 George County, Va., in rear of the Yankee army, was taken to 
 headquarters of Colonel Irwain, when he was closely questioned 
 in regard to the condition of Lee s army around Petersburg. 
 
 The colonel asked the prisoner if the soldiers of Lee s army 
 were not starving, and replied, "Do I look like I am starving?" 
 The colonel said, "You are an officer are you not?" "No, I am a 
 private." The prisoner was sent to headquarters that night and 
 next day in company with Pat Sanders, a fellow scout from But 
 ler s brigade, and Bill Jackson, another scout from a Tennessee 
 infantry. This trio were sent to City Point, where they were kept 
 for ten days in the prison with a set of deserters from both armies, 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 507 
 
 bounty jumpers and niggers. The Yankee government would 
 give any man one thousand dollars to join their army, and these 
 Hessians could desert, disguise themselves and go to another part 
 of their army and sell out again. Butler s scouts captured one 
 of these "bounty jumpers" and he said he had jumped sixteen 
 bounties. Grant had two picket lines to keep up all the time 
 the one in front of his army to warn him of the approach of the 
 Confederates, and the other in the rear of his army to keep his 
 men from deserting. They were very tired of the war. 
 
 On the 23rd of November, 1864, these three scouts were placed 
 on a steamer and sent to Point Lookout, Md., where they arrived 
 the next day and claimed to belong to other commands than their 
 own, for fear they would be charged with being scouts. After 
 getting penned and settled down to the real horrors of prison life, 
 they gave their names and commands in order to receive letters 
 from home. They were assigned to the Sixth Division in the 
 prison camp and about fifteen were given quarters in a sibley tent, 
 where they had to lie on the cold, damp ground without a spark 
 of fire unless they could steal wood from some of the guards of 
 this damnable place of abode. The guards were composed of 
 insolent negroes, who did not hesitate to fire into a tent if the 
 light was not put out exactly when taps were sounded, without 
 giving any warning whatever. In fact, their conduct was so out 
 rageous in the latter part of the war that forbearance had ceased 
 to be a virtue, when the prisoners sent a delegation, among whom 
 were scouts, to the general commanding (General Barnes) saying 
 they would not stand the treatment any longer. Of course, he had 
 it in his power to have them all shot, but some of Barnes people 
 would get hurt during the killing. The negroes were soon dis 
 placed and white men put on duty in their stead. 
 
 The drinking water was terrible and was procured from shal 
 low wells inside the prison camp, so strongly permeated with 
 copperas that it caused a frightful mortality among these brave 
 but unfortunate men of Lee s army. It was a very usual occur 
 rence to have fifty dead Confederates hauled out to the boneyard 
 in one day. There was only one good well of water in the prison, 
 and only a fortunate few were able to obtain water from it, and 
 then by a written order countersigned in red ink. Sometimes 
 the prisoners would forge a permit by scratching the arm until 
 
508 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 the blood would flow from their pale and emaciated bodies to 
 countersign the pass, so the writing was literally done in blood. 
 The Yankees had the finest kind of food, the* land was flooded 
 with milk and honey, but there was scarcely enough dished out 
 to the unfortunate men clad in gray to keep soul and body 
 together. The food was of the worst quality and not half enough 
 to supply the cravings of hunger. Often they would issue codfish 
 that was so rotten that it would drop to pieces while handling it, 
 and no bread was issued from Saturday noon until Monday noon. 
 The horrors of that place will never be fully described. Shake 
 Harris had two very thin blankets sewed together. He drew an 
 extra one by putting the first one in the ground and claiming that 
 the first one was lost. Whenever the guard would catch a prisoner 
 with two of these little thin blankets sewed together they would 
 cut them apart, keeping one and leaving the other to the poor 
 prisoner to partially cover the old gray clothes that he happened 
 to have on when captured. If a prisoner had a friend who would 
 send him a little money with which to buy something to eat, and 
 some poor, half-perished devil were to steal some of it and was 
 caught, his fellow prisoners would immediately turn his head 
 down into a slop barrel, where he was turned into an honest but 
 much more ravenous man. Two of Butler s scouts were very fond 
 of tobacco. One would chew it and then dry it and the other 
 would smoke it. There was no place that one could go in the 
 prison pen where he could avoid vermin. The prisoners had to 
 have some kind of employment, some made rings of gutta percha, 
 buttons and beef bones. One prisoner made a small engine and a 
 train of cars out of broken camp kettles, and built a railroad 
 track upon which the little train would run. General Barnes 
 allowed this ingenious prisoner to receive forty dollars for the 
 outfit, which amount lifted him out of the suffering of his fellow 
 prisoners, who were too honest to steal, too proud to beg, for they 
 belonged to the shabby genteel, especially after a few of them had 
 been put head foremost into slop barrels. 
 
 Rats were found to be very fine food for the prisoners. They 
 were tender and very delicious. 
 
 John H. Pierce was captured in February, 1864, together with 
 two other scouts, and carried to Washington, where they were 
 kept for four months and then taken to Fort Delaware and held 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 509 
 
 there until the 10th June, 1865. John Pierce belonged to Captain 
 Angus P. Brown s company, Company K, First South Carolina 
 Cavalry. He scouted under Bob Shiver, Bill Mikler, Shadbourn 
 and Dick Hogan, and a brave scout he was, too. 
 
 Hal. Richardson belonged to Company K, Fourth South Caro 
 lina Cavalry, and was captured on the 30th May, 1864, near Cold 
 Harbor, and together with other prisoners was made to double 
 quick nearly all the way to the White House, a distance of thirty 
 miles. When a prisoner would break down the Yankees would 
 stick a bayonet in him and if he failed to respond he was left for 
 dead. The cause of this forced march was that some one said 
 Hampton and Butler were coming. 
 
 "Man s inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn." 
 
 Prison Experience of W. W. Russell 
 
 Anderson, S. C., October 22, 1907. 
 Colonel U. R. Brooks, Columbia, S. C. 
 
 MY DEAR COLONEL: Yours of the 16th to hand, and I take 
 great pleasure in complying with " your request. The escapade 
 referred to is as follows: 
 
 I was captured at Proctor s Cross Roads, on the Jerusalem 
 Plank Road, October 27th, 1864, by the Thirteenth Pennsylvania 
 Cavalry, and was carried to Point Lookout prison and held there 
 until April 18th, 1865. I paid the commanding officer of the prison 
 one box of tobacco, value $75.00, and three $20 gold pieces to put 
 me in with a boatload of sick that were then being exchanged. 
 I may say that my first effort to get out of prison was a failure 
 (although successful). In explanation of this seeming contradic 
 tion, it is necessary to state that I succeeded in having the captain 
 take the bait offered ; but he himself was unsuccessful in securing 
 my escape, because opposite my name on the roster was written 
 "Hold suspicious." However, being posted, I went higher and 
 succeeded. 
 
 My return on the U. S. S. "Starlight" to Richmond, Va., was 
 both pathetic and exciting. McClure and myself had been sent to 
 Norfolk, Va., to locate the position of General Dix, who com- 
 
510 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 manded that department of Virginia. I could not undertake 
 active duty, as I was suffering from wounds received on the cattle 
 raid September 16th, hence my duty was to ca^ry reports of our 
 findings to headquarters. After McClure and myself had located 
 all the camps of the enemy between Suffolk and Norfolk, had 
 learned the position of the artillery, and had prepared our 
 reports, together with drawings of the location of General Dix s 
 headquarters, we started to ride through to Petersburg, one hun 
 dred miles, in a day. But we had relay horses at the fifty-mile 
 post, and were able to make Proctor s Cross Roads (ninety miles), 
 where the Thirteenth Virginia cavalry were out on post duty. 
 Dr. Taggart, who lived within four hundred yards of the picket 
 post, informed us that the Thirteenth Virginia cavalry was on 
 picket at the Cross Roads, not knowing that the Confederate 
 cavalry had been driven off by the Thirteenth Pennsylvania Cav 
 alry at nightfall. All was quiet as we approached. Suddenly we 
 were ordered to halt "Who comes there?" To our reply of 
 "Friends," the picket commanded, "Advance, friends, and give 
 the countersign!" McClure advanced, but I was too far to hear 
 what was taking place. Then I was ordered to advance, and I 
 did so, confident that I was safe in the hands of friends, and that 
 I would now be able to rest from my long and tedious ride of 
 ninety miles. Imagine my surprise when I was told to give up 
 my arms ! This I indignantly refused to do, demanding that I 
 be carried back to the reserve, where I could easily identify 
 myself. But when carbines were pressed against my breast, I 
 gave up my pistols, though taking care to impress upon them that, 
 since this was not the firs,t time I had been arrested by my own 
 men when I was coming in from outer lines, I fully intended 
 reporting the matter to General Hampton. About this time we 
 arrived at the head of the column, and I, being unable to recog 
 nize them in the dark, said to them, "I believe you are Yankees ! 
 What command is this?" Swiftly the reply came, "The Thir 
 teenth Pennsylvania." The mystery was explained, and my 
 indignation quickly vanished to be replaced by a much deeper and 
 stronger feeling. I had thought up to this time that we were in 
 the hands of the Thirteenth Virginia Cavalry, as the picket had 
 told us that it was the "Thirteenth," without indicating that it 
 was the Pennsylvania cavalry. You can imagine that my feelings 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 511 
 
 were not very self-congratulatory, as here I was disarmed, with 
 nothing to defend myself with, a predicament in which I had 
 boastingly said I would die before I would allow myself to be 
 placed. This was especially embarrassing to me, as I had been 
 compelled to surrender without a shot, particularly in view of the 
 fact that not long before this Wallace Miller, Bernard King and 
 myself had refused to surrender when we were surrounded in a 
 house in the midst of Grant s army and had gotten out alive. 
 So galling was this to my rebel pride that I appealed to the 
 colonel of the Pennsylvania regiment in this wise: "This affair 
 looks like desertion of a cause very dear to my heart. Won t you 
 do me the honor of restoring my pistols and give me ten paces, 
 when I will defy the world? If I should die, I will die as a 
 Confederate should." To this appeal the colonel rode up to me, 
 struck a match to see my face, and replied, "This would be 
 foolish." 
 
 Our horses were tied together with halter reins, our bridles 
 were placed in the hands of guards, fifteen in number, with drawn 
 sabres, and orders were issued to carry us to camp ten miles off, 
 not a word to be spoken en route. If we had not been touching 
 bottom in regret and disgust, we would have felt complimented 
 by the strength of our guard. The orders given were strictly 
 obeyed, but after riding some five miles, the lieutenant in com 
 mand allowed his Yankee instincts to get the better of him and 
 began making an effort to satisfy his curiosity by asking me the 
 name of my command. I replied by an outburst of crying, at the 
 same time stealthily putting my left hand into my coat pocket and 
 taking out the papers that would be the occasion of a speedy 
 death to me if they were apprehended. Between my sobs I man 
 aged to chew and spit to the ground every particle of evidence 
 against both of us. But the commanding officer did not "catch 
 on" to my little ruse and witheringly remarked that he thought 
 we were soldiers and not children! and threatened to use his 
 sword if I did not cease the baby act. But the spectacle I had had 
 to make of myself was atoned for by the fact that I had succeeded 
 in wiping out the danger of being shot by drumhead court- 
 martial. 
 
 This is in brief a partial history of my capture. There is, how- 
 over, an interesting story connected with our imprisonment. We 
 
 33 B. C. 
 
512 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 could not be located by the enemy, and were carried first to Major- 
 General Gregg, then to General Meade s headquarters, and from 
 there were taken to City Point and placed in. close confinement, 
 where our only associates were Federal soldiers under sentence of 
 death, a very disquieting matter to us when we did not know our 
 fate. A very few days later, after another investigation by the 
 authorities, we were placed oh board the steamship Champion, 
 together with one hundred and twenty-five other Confederates 
 who had been stationed at Dutch Gap (this being dug by General 
 B. F. Butler), and carried to Point Lookout prison. En route we 
 organized and came very near capturing the vessel, but were 
 thwarted by a Confederate who gave us away. Incidentally this 
 plan came so near being a success that a party came to Anderson 
 some two or three years after the war, hunted up Colonel 
 James A. Hoyt, and the two came to see me to get facts for his 
 tory. Of course, at that time I had to deny all knowledge of the 
 affair, but afterwards told Colonel Hoyt the particulars. Hoyt 
 believed there was no danger in revealing everything for the sake 
 of true history. Later another party came to see me, who hailed 
 from Ohio. Still I gave out nothing. 
 
 While at Point Lookout we organized a regiment to take the 
 oath of allegiance to the United States Government, when w r e 
 were to go north of the Susquehanna River to fight Indians 
 when in reality we intended to beat, if possible, the record of 
 Stewart, Hampton, Forrest or Morgan in the raiding of the 
 enemy s country. When the time arrived to take the oath, how 
 ever, all of us who were leaders in the movement hesitated and 
 could not swallow the oath; besides McClure and myself were 
 suspected and were to be left out. 
 
 This whole story, if written out in its entirety, would be inter 
 esting to all the old Confederates, especially to the boys who 
 know us. 
 
 I will send you photograph soon, which you will kindly return 
 when you have finished with it. 
 
 Yours most truly, 
 
 W. W. RUSSELL. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 513 
 
 Forty-Nine Thousand Die in Prison 
 
 Sol Legare was a splendid fellow, gentle, courteous and brave. 
 He could not stand the hard prison life of the Yankees, which 
 caused the death of twenty-six thousand of the flower of the 
 Confederate army. His friend and fellow scout, Wallace Miller, 
 was allowed to nurse him, and he did well and faithfully, but in 
 July, 1865, after Lee s army had reached Appomattox, the war 
 rior s banner took its flight to greet the warrior s soul. His ear 
 was deaf to earth s rude alarms, and the weary spirit peacefully 
 departed to its eternal rest. In 1868 Miller went to the old prison 
 burial ground in Maryland and brought his remains back to 
 Charleston, S. C. 
 
 The Confederate soldiers captured two hundred and seventy 
 thousand Yankees, and twenty-three thousand of these died in our 
 prisons. The Yankees captured two hundred and twenty 
 thousand Confederates, and twenty-six thousand died in Northern 
 prisons. (See War Records at Washington, D. C.) General 
 Grant would not exchange prisoners and gave his reason that 
 to turn loose two hundred thousand Rebel soldiers at one time, 
 Sherman s army would be destroyed and his own would be in 
 great danger. He knew that General Lee could have easily 
 destroyed his army had he (Grant) agreed to exchange prisoners. 
 
 After the 9th of April, 1865, the Yankees would beg the pris 
 oners to take the oath of allegiance, but they positively refused to 
 do so until they received letters from the people, their friends 
 all over the South, to take the oath, that the war was really over. 
 A Yankee asked two prisoners after they had taken the oath to 
 take a drink of whiskey with him, and one of them drank to this 
 toast, "Here is to my fallen country, whom it is treason to love 
 and death to defend." 
 
 "God holds the scales of justice; 
 
 He will measure praise and blame; 
 
 And the South will stand the verdict, 
 
 And will stand it without shame." 
 
514 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Recollections of Andersonville 
 
 BY HENRY A. WHITMAN. 
 
 In the summer of 1864, when I was a temporary resident of 
 Cuthbert, Ga., I went up by train early one morning to Ander 
 sonville, where I spent the whole day looking over its military 
 prison, about which so much since then has been said and written. 
 I was accompanied by a New Jerseyman, who expected to obtain 
 through prisoners there some news of his Northern relatives, 
 from whom he had not heard since the commencement of the war. 
 The visit was made in August, but I have forgotten on what day 
 of the month. I remember, however, that it was hot and sultry 
 weather, and that the journey, though a short one, was made all 
 the more uncomfortable to us by having to be packed into a 
 crowded, stuffy, rickety car that, with occasional wild lurches, 
 justled and bumped slowly over worn-out rails to the imminent 
 risk of life and limb. In those days all the railroads of the 
 South were fearfully run down at the heel, and traveling over 
 them was both fatiguing and dangerous. We were over two 
 hours in getting to Andersonville, at that time a bit of a village 
 of some half-dozen houses, near which, about five hundred yards 
 east of the depot, was located the prison. 
 
 I hardly know what I had imagined the prison to look like. It 
 certainly differed from anything my fancy may have pictured. 
 Perhaps I had anticipated seeing a huge building of brick and 
 stone in the middle of a vast courtyard surrounded by high, 
 unscalable walls, on top of which would be sentinels pacing to 
 and fro with measured military tread. If imagination tricked 
 me into expecting such a prison, I was painfully disillusioned 
 and disappointed. What I really saw was a great stockade com 
 posed of two parallel palisades of pine logs set in the ground 
 endwise to the height of eighteen feet. It enclosed some thirty 
 acres of yellow-clay land lying on two hillsides facing each other, 
 between which ran, from east to west, a small creek about five 
 feet broad with an average depth of a foot. 
 
 The only signs of vegetation that I saw within the enclosure 
 were two tall, lonely pines with tufted tops, one on either hill; 
 but they gave precious little shade to the crowded prisoners, 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 515 
 
 thirty-two thousand or more, that sweltered beneath the hot rays 
 of an August sun. Their only protection from the weather hot 
 or cold, rain or sunshine were some rough sheds, open at the 
 sides, but covered on top with planks and pine boughs. Besides 
 these, I noticed a few old army tents, also blankets stretched over 
 poles gypsy fashion. Some of the prisoners, who possessed neither 
 tents nor blankets, had apparently made excavations in the hill 
 sides, where they probably slept or protected themselves against 
 the heat of the sun. I say apparently, for as I was outside the 
 stockade and some distance away, it may be that what I thought 
 were excavations for the purpose of protection, were nothing 
 more than places where the prisoners did their cooking. 
 
 The nearest approach to my fancied prison were the sentinels, 
 whom I found stationed on a high platform built on the four 
 sides of the stockade between the palisades and next to the inner 
 one, thus affording them an unobstructed view of all that went on 
 in the enclosure. Here also, at intervals of a hundred or more 
 feet, were sentry boxes, between which the guards on duty 
 marched back and forth, and to which they retired in time of bad 
 weather. 
 
 The "dead line," a small railing eighteen inches high, was 
 placed about nineteen feet from the inner wall on all sides of 
 the stockade. Prisoners were not allowed to cross it. The guards 
 were under orders to shoot down any prisoner attempting to do 
 so without permission, and of these orders the prisoners were 
 fully informed. 
 
 On the high ground surrounding the enclosure, which, by the 
 way, was six hundred yards long by over two hundred wide, was 
 a cordon of connected earthworks where fifteen or twenty pieces 
 of artillery were placed, being trained on the stockade and ready 
 for instant service in time of need. Back of the earthworks were 
 the quarters of the guards, which were simply log huts chinked 
 with mud. Their officers were more comfortably housed in a two- 
 story frame building near the village. The whole number of 
 guards, whose commander was General John H. Winder, was at 
 the time of my visit about four thousand. 
 
 Outside of the prison proper, a hospital, which was also a 
 stockade, had been built a short while before I went to Anderson- 
 ville. It was supplied with some tents and three or four covered 
 
\ 516 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 wooden sheds. At the distance of a hundred or more yards from 
 the hospital was the dead house," a bush arbor of circular shape, 
 to which dead prisoners from both stockade and hospital were 
 brought and laid out for burial. In a northerly direction, several 
 hundred feet from the "dead house," stood the cook house or 
 regular kitchen, which must be distinguished from the bakery 
 built over the creek and between the palisades on the west side 
 of the main stockade. 
 
 The prison, established under the pressure of necessity and in 
 haste to relieve the congestion of other Southern war prisons, 
 struck me as being at best but a miserable makeshift. Its sanitary 
 condition was bad, or so it appeared to me, but being only a boy 
 at the time perhaps I was incapable of forming an opinion on 
 this point worthy of consideration. Be that as it may, however, 
 I know the prisoners were both crowded and much exposed to the 
 weather. The day I saw them they were a sweltering mass of 
 humanity, each unit of which was confined to a space of not more 
 than twenty feet. This of itself the crowding of thirty-two 
 thousand human beings so thickly together was sufficient to 
 make the prison unsanitary. But that was not all. There was the 
 bakery over the creek, where, in addition to the baking going on, 
 I saw whole carcasses of slaughtered animals being cut up and 
 made ready for distribution. The refuse which fell into the 
 creek, together with the filth that washed into it from the hill 
 sides during heavy rains, necessarily contaminated the water. 
 Then the ground within the stockade on both sides of the creek 
 had been trampled into a mire of nastiness. Although unfit for 
 any sort of use, this creek water was about all that was accessible 
 to the prisoners for bathing. There was an abundant supply of 
 comparatively pure drinking water from springs and wells within 
 the enclosure and about the eighth of a mile from the creek. 
 
 To the unacclimated prisoners such conditions and the kind of 
 food furnished them, although the same as that given to the Con 
 federate guards, were greatly provocative of sickness and death. 
 In fact, a large number of the prisoners was continually on the 
 sick list, and the percentage of deaths from various diseases was 
 frightful. While it never occurred to me to make the inquiry, 
 I venture to say that on the day I was at Andersonville fully a 
 thousand were in the hospital, and that nearly as many more 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 517 
 
 were sick in the stockade. Some of the latter I saw pale, 
 emaciated fellows lying around in such shade as they could find, 
 or walking about with a look of despair in their eyes on whom, 
 it seemed to me, Death had already set his mark. 
 
 About noon I happened to be standing near the hospital gates, 
 when, in the space of as many minutes, I saw four or five dead 
 bodies brought out on stretchers and borne to the dead house. I 
 don t know exactly how many died that day, but in all probability 
 a hundred at least; for, according to the hospital records, the 
 average daily death rate for the month of August, 1864, was fully 
 that number. 
 
 I accompanied the bearers of the dead to the "dead house," 
 which, as has been said, was only a bush arbor far removed from 
 the prison. Four other dead prisoners were already there await 
 ing burial, making, with those the bearers brought, eight in all. 
 The bodies were not put in coffins, but they were laid side by side 
 on the bare ground. They were bareheaded, barefooted, 
 unwashed, and unshaven. Flies swarmed about them, or 
 crawled over their upturned faces. A few beams of light here 
 and there strayed through the leafy covering overhead and lit up 
 the ghastly scene. 
 
 One of the dead was a boy about my age. Unlike some of the 
 others, he did not have the appearance of a foreigner. I was 
 quite sure he was an American, probably from one of the New 
 England States. It made me feel very sad to see him lying there 
 dead, in a strange and hostile land. Somehow I had no such feel 
 ing toward the others. To me they were simply unknown dead 
 men, in whom I took little interest. But with the boy, I suppose 
 because he was a boy like myself, it was different. As I stood in 
 the entrance to the "dead house," leaning against one of its posts 
 and looking down on his peaceful face in which death had carved 
 fine lines, I got to wondering about his antecedents who he was, 
 where he came from, if his parents were living, and how one so 
 young happened to drift into the army. It occurred to me that 
 possibly he, like many other Andersonville prisoners, had died 
 of homesickness. He seemed one of those to whom the call of 
 home would appeal irresistibly. I could imagine how, shut up in 
 that prison, thoughts of home would come to him, making him 
 long for it with unutterable longing, until, bereft of all hope of 
 
518 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 release, he sickened and died. I wondered if he was the "only 
 son of his mother, and she a widow." Perhaps he was one of the 
 "unknown dead," and if so, that mother wouldjiever know where 
 or when he died, and year after year she would be looking for 
 him, but in vain. 
 
 So it came to pass, as I thought of all those things, I could 
 hardly keep back the tears. Every trace of animosity in me died. 
 He was no longer an enemy of my country, but a poor dead boy 
 whose untimely end I commiserated. And I turned away, real 
 izing how death can rub out old scores and replace them with 
 feelings of pity and sorrow. 
 
 When the burial squad, also prisoners, came to take away the 
 dead to bury them, I followed, not from idle curiosity, but with 
 a different sort of feeling, I hardly knew what. I only know that 
 I realized as never before the strange solemnity of death, to the 
 sight of which I was unused. At that time I had no such indiffer 
 ence toward dead people as came later, even before the end of the 
 fraticidal war, when I could look as unmoved on a dead man 
 as on a dead animal. 
 
 The graveyard or burying place was situated three hundred 
 yards northwest of the stockade, and thither, led by the guards, 
 we took our way, unaccompanied by sound of drum or funeral 
 note. There was no time for ceremony. I supposed, of course, 
 coffins would be found there, but not so; for death worked much 
 faster among the Andersonville prisoners than coffins could be 
 made. Instead of graves, one for each body, there were shallow 
 trenches, already dug, of varying lengths. Here, in one of these 
 trenches, they put the uncoffined dead side by side, separated 
 from each other by only a few inches. There was no religious 
 service of any kind, not even a prayer was said. Nature was 
 more pitiful than man, for the wind kept up a great sighing in 
 the tops of the pines that skirted the prison cemetery. With what 
 appeared to me unseemly haste, they shoveled the red earth into 
 the pit, placing at the head of each dead man a wooden stake 
 bearing a number which corresponded with a similar numbered 
 name on the hospital record. 
 
 The trenches, in which thousands had already been buried, 
 were, as I have said, rather shallow. Looking down them, I saw 
 in one place, where the earth had settled and become gullied out 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 519 
 
 by washing rains, a hand protruding. That uplifted hand, 
 belonging to one who was perhaps prematurely buried, will 
 always haunt my memory. 
 
 The principal figure about Andersonville, the one to be most 
 met with here, there, everywhere was Captain Wirz, the gov 
 ernor of the prison. I saw him several times that day in fact, 
 spoke to him and my recollection of him is very vivid. He was 
 the sort of man to hold one s memory. In person, he was rather 
 small and insignificant-looking, being considerably under the 
 average height and weight. His complexion was dark hair and 
 eyes were almost black. He wore a full beard. He was wiry, 
 alert, full of energy, quick of speech, easily excited, and often got 
 rattled. He couldn t keep still. He reminded me of a French 
 man, and such I took him to be until informed that he was a 
 Swiss. But for the three bars braided on his collar, his dress 
 gave no indication of his rank. He had on a dark blue flannel 
 shirt and black and white checked trousers that bagged at the 
 knees. He wore a soft felt hat much battered by long usage, and 
 his feet w^ere thrust into a pair of shabby, low-cut shoes. 
 Attached to his belt, in which was stuck a pistol or two, was a 
 cavalry saber much too long for him. It trailed on the ground, 
 and every time he moved it made a clattering noise. In short, 
 his whole dress was slovenly and unsoldierlike ; and this, with his 
 overbearing manner, struck me rather unfavorably. To some he 
 may have seemed a fair type of the man "clothed with a little 
 brief authority." 
 
 The first time I saw Captain Wirz was near the entrance to the 
 stockade. Some prisoners, seven or eight hundred, had just been 
 brought in by train from the upper part of Georgia; and when 
 they drew near the prison I noticed that Wirz, whom I did not 
 then know, became greatly excited. He acted like one intoxicated 
 or who had completely lost his head. His antics were to me very 
 funny, as they would have been to any boy. He skipped around 
 like a dancing dervish, his sword as it dragged the ground keep 
 ing up a rattling accompaniment. He darted hither and thither, 
 gesticulating, shouting at both guards and prisoners, and cursing 
 volubly in broken English. His profanity, while picturesque, 
 was simply awful. It made me shiver. He was very impartial 
 in the distribution of his oaths, flinging them liberally at the 
 
520 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 heads of both guards and prisoners; and yet he impressed me 
 with the notion that a blue uniform affected him somewhat as a 
 red rag does a bull. 
 
 As the prisoners were filing through the stockade gates, I 
 noticed one brawny six-footer with a log of wood on his shoulder. 
 I don t know what he intended doing with it probably he 
 thought he would need it for cooking his supper. Captain Wirz 
 also saw him, and rushing toward him shouted : "Drop eet. * * * 
 Hear you me not? Drop eet, drop eet, I say." And the man 
 dropped it on a pile of wood just outside the prison entrance. 
 
 That was the nearest approach to cruelty I saw on the part of 
 Wirz, who doubtless had some good reason for ordering the pris 
 oner to drop the wood. As for his profanity, that signified noth 
 ing, since there are many excellent men who curse habitually and 
 unconsciously, and apparently for no reason whatever. 
 
 My friend, the New Jerseyman, who wanted to enter the stock 
 ade, applied to Captain Wirz for permission. He refused in 
 terms more emphatic than polite. He said we were a couple of 
 "d d fools" for wanting to go among the prisoners, telling us it 
 was dangerous on account of the place being full of contagious 
 diseases, especially smallpox. "Eef," he said, "you get not ze 
 smallpock, you vill be robbed, may be killed. Non ; I vill permeet 
 you not among ze preesoners to go." 
 
 That was our first and only interview with Captain Wirz. 
 But I have often thought he was right about us, though I didn t 
 think so then. We were two "d d fools," and I, for one, am 
 glad he thought so, and refused us admission to the stockade. 
 
 While at Andersonville, I heard a curious story about Wirz, 
 which seemed to throw so me light on what I regarded as his 
 singular behavior at the prison gates. It was told me by a young 
 artillery officer. I do not recall his exact language, but he said 
 substantially that Captain Wirz was imbittered against all 
 Yankees on account of the brutal treatment which certain mem 
 bers of his family, residents of New Orleans, had received at the 
 hands of some Federal soldiers after the capture of that city by 
 General B. F. Butler. I cannot vouch for the truth of the story. 
 As I have never seen anything in print corroborative of it, I shall 
 always be in doubt as to whether it was fact or fiction. I give it 
 as I heard it and for what it is worth. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 521 
 
 Captain Wirz s end was tragical, as all the world knows. It 
 was undeserved. About the time the war closed, the whole 
 country was thrown into a state of overwhelming excitement over 
 the assassination of President Lincoln. In the midst of it Wirz 
 was arrested, and in August, 1865, he was brought to trial before 
 a military commission, specially convened at Washington for the 
 purpose, on the charge of cruel and inhumane treatment of the 
 Andersonville prisoners. In the bill of indictment against him 
 were several counts. He was charged with injuring the health 
 and destroying the lives of his prisoners by subjecting them to 
 torture and great suffering ; by .confining them in unhealthy and 
 unwholesome quarters ; by exposing them to the inclemency of the 
 winter and the dews and burning sun of summer ; by compelling 
 the use of impure water ; by furnishing insufficient and unwhole 
 some food ; by establishing the dead line and ordering the guards 
 to shoot down any prisoner attempting to cross it, and by tor 
 turing prisoners in the stocks. These charges by ex-parte testi 
 mony were easily proven, and Captain Wirz was found guilty 
 and sentenced to be hanged. But the sentence of the court was 
 not carried into effect until the 10th of November, 1865. 
 
 Justice is depicted as a virgin blindfolded, holding in one 
 hand a pair of scales evenly balanced, and in the other an un 
 sheathed sword with which to cut down the guilty. In this trial 
 of Wirz, never was Justice so completely hoodwinked ; never were 
 her scales so unevenly balanced ! never did she strike out so 
 blindly and vindictively, thus lending herself to the consum 
 mation of an act which impartial history will yet pronounce a 
 judicial murder. Why do I say this ? Because the bill of indict 
 ment under which all these things are charged against Wirz, is 
 also an indictment of every Federal prison throughout the North 
 in which Confederate prisoners were confined during the war; 
 and therein Justice, at this drummed-up court-martial to try Wirz, 
 showed how utterly blind she was, and how in her rage she 
 wounded the North more than the South. There is not a charge 
 against Wirz which cannot be offset by a similar charge against 
 the governors of Northern prisons, as, for instance, the insuffi 
 cient and unwholesome food in some prisons that made Confed 
 erate prisoners esteem rats rare and dainty morsels; the allowance 
 to prisoners at Johnson Island of one thin blanket in zero 
 
522 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 weather; the compelled use at Point Lookout of drinking water 
 strongly impregnated with copperas, and the dead line at both 
 Elmira, N. Y., and Point Lookout over which, a prisoner might 
 not cross without being shot. So if Wirz, in the light of the 
 charges in the bill of indictment against him, is to be regarded, as 
 he has been represented, a human monster, a fiend incarnate, let 
 it not be forgotten that, under similar charges as easily proven, 
 there are many such fiends from the other side to keep him com 
 pany in the underworld. 
 
 But was Captain Wirz guilty of wanton cruelty and inhu 
 manity to the Andersonville prisoners ? Apparently so only. He 
 was the victim of circumstances. The conditions of the prison 
 were bad, as I have said, but he was not responsible for those 
 conditions. He did not select the prison site, nor did he build the 
 prison. The conditions at Andersonville were created before he 
 became its governor, and after his coming they grew worse from 
 overcrowding, which he could not prevent. With the means at 
 his disposal he did the best he could to protect his prisoners from 
 the inclemency of the weather, both winter and summer. Those 
 means were inadequate, to be sure, but that was not his fault. 
 He was obliged to avail himself of what nature had provided 
 and to use the supplies furnished by his government. 
 
 I have stated that the water in which the prisoners washed was 
 impure, made so by unavoidable conditions, but Captain Wirz 
 did not compel its use for that purpose. The drinking water, 
 however, was comparatively pure, far more so than that to which 
 Confederate prisoners had access at Point Lookout. 
 
 As to the charge that Captain Wirz furnished the prisoners 
 with insufficient and unwholesome food, I can only say that it was 
 the same supplied to the guards at Andersonville, and better and 
 more abundant than that the Confederate soldiers at the front 
 received. I know it was not the kind of food supplied to Northern 
 soldiers, but it was the only kind the Confederate commissariat 
 was able to furnish. If the prisoners by eating this food, to 
 which they were unaccustomed, sickened and died, Captain Wirz 
 was not responsible for their sickness and mortality. He gave 
 them no worse food than the Confederate guards had, no worse, 
 in fact, that he himself ate. But it will be said that it was not fit 
 food for sick men, especially for men suffering from diarrhoea and 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 523 
 
 scurvy, of which diseases seventy-five hundred died out of a total 
 of nearly thirteen thousand deaths. That is true, and for the 
 very good reason that nourishing food and vegetables, so neces 
 sary for the majority of the sick, were unobtainable. There was 
 not a vegetable farm within fifty miles of Andersonville, and 
 nobody anywhere in the South at that time had anything in the 
 way of food likely to tempt the appetites of sick people. In fact, 
 everybody, both in the army and at home, was compelled to live 
 on very short commons, and sometimes they had not even these. 
 It was unfortunate, therefore, that the poor prisoners happened 
 to come South in her time of poverty and straitened circum 
 stances, but they were served with the best obtainable, and if it 
 disagreed with them, nobody in the South should have been 
 blamed, least of all Captain Wirz. 
 
 But that awful dead line what about it? Yes, there was a 
 dead line at Andersonville; and yet the exigencies of the situation 
 demanded its establishment, just, as I suppose, they did at Point 
 Lookout and Elmira, where Confederate prisoners were confined. 
 Andersonville prison was in the open, so to speak, and the utmost 
 precautions had to be taken to prevent surprises. I was told while 
 there that the dead line was not established until attempts had 
 been made by prisoners to storm the stockade gates, with the view 
 of overpowering the guards and so making their escape. 
 
 Only one prisoner was ever killed at Andersonville for crossing 
 the dead line. It came about in a peculiar way. The sentinel 
 who killed him told me the story, which I give pretty much in 
 his own words: 
 
 "One day a prisoner came up to the dead line, and, calling to 
 me, said, Johnnie, I m going to cross your dead line. 
 
 " No, you won t, I said. You know my orders you know I ll 
 kill you if you come over on this side. 
 
 " Yes, I know ; and that s why I m going to cross. You see I 
 ain t got the nerve to commit suicide, even if I had anything to 
 do it with, and so I thought I d come down here and make you 
 kill me. I d rather be dead than live another day in this hell on 
 earth. Look out, here I come. 
 
 " For God s sake, man, keep back, I said, I don t want to shoot 
 you. * * * You d d fool, keep back, keep back on your own side. 
 
524 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 "But the prisoner, without another word, crossed over, and I 
 shot him. I hated to do it. But what else could I do? I was 
 under orders. It was me or him." v ; ^ 
 
 At his trial Wirz was charged with this killing. It was intro 
 duced to establish the fact that he murdered his prisoners. Great 
 stress was laid on it, and the use the prosecution made of it had 
 much to do with securing Wirz s conviction. But it was unjust 
 to make him, who held only a subordinate position at Anderson- 
 ville, responsible for the establishment of the dead line and the 
 death of a man who virtually committed suicide. General Win 
 der was in command, and doubtless from him emanated the orders 
 to set up the dead line and shoot down any prisoner attempting 
 to cross it. 
 
 Captain Wirz did not appear to me as one who would be 
 maliciously cruel to his prisoners. He may have been a martinet, 
 and I think he was, but I believe he was too brave a man to mal 
 treat an unarmed and helpless foe. The charges preferred against 
 him do not warrant the conclusion that he was an inhuman 
 wretch. He was hampered by conditions over which he had no 
 control, compelled by circumstances to do things that were hard, 
 and so it was easy to bring charges against him which he could 
 not possibly disprove. Those conditions were facts, but neither 
 they nor the circumstances in which he was placed were of his 
 making. 
 
 It was Wirz s fate to suffer for what he could not help or 
 prevent. When the war ended, the people of the North were 
 incensed against the people of the South, and the cry was 
 insistent for some kind of expiatory sacrifice, not only for what 
 has been called the sin of Andersonville, but for the other sup 
 posed sins of the South. Some, at first, wanted all the Southern 
 leaders hung at traitors ; but, fortunately, there were others whom 
 the madness of the hour had not swept off their feet. They were 
 level-headed men who, versed in constitutional law and 
 acquainted with the principles of the Federal compact under 
 which the Union was formed, realized the impossibility of estab 
 lishing before the highest tribunal of the land the charge of 
 treason against any Southerner. But they were unable to with 
 stand the popular clamor for atoning blood. Some victim had to 
 be provided ; and so it came to pass that poor Wirz, whose alleged 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 525 
 
 cruelties to prisoners were on every Northern tongue, was chosen, 
 although another of the most exalted rank and deep in the affec 
 tions of the South was preferred. Evidence was sought for high 
 and low to connect Mr. Davis with the assassination of Mr. Lin 
 coln. It has been said Wirz s life was promised him if he would 
 implicate the President of the Southern Confederacy. Life is 
 sweet to a man, but Wirz did not love it enough to perjure him 
 self. With all his faults, he was too true a man to sacrifice honor 
 for the sake of a few more years. It was not in his nature to 
 incriminate an innocent man. So, friendless and hated, he, not 
 the preferred one, became the victim of expiation. He stood, as 
 it were, in the South s place and suffered for her alleged crimes 
 of treason and inhumanity. For this, if for nothing else, he 
 deserves a monument. Such a monument would be the South s 
 protest against the charge of inhumanity to her prisoners. 
 
 But Andersonville, where I saw only dead and dying and 
 suffering men the memory of which seems like some terrible 
 vision of the night who was responsible for it? Somebody was. 
 I do not think it was Wirz. It could hardly have been the Rich 
 mond government, which, in 1864, faced conditions that meant 
 defeat, showed that the end of Southern hopes was near at hand. 
 The South s resources were about exhausted. It was hard, well- 
 nigh impossible, to negotiate foreign loans to continue the war. 
 Confederate money was Avorthless. The country had been drained 
 of all its men, from boys of fifteen to old men of seventy. Of the 
 600,000 that had enlisted in the Confederate armies, over 200,000 
 were in Northern prisons. The seat of war had been transferred 
 from the border States to almost the heart of the South, and 
 the portion not overrun was hemmed in on all sides by a cordon 
 of hostile forces that was ever contracting like an anaconda 
 around its prey. 
 
 Under such conditions the Confederate government found itself 
 burdened w r ith a vast multitude of prisoners. Out of its exhausted 
 means these were to be provided for and fed ; and, considering all 
 things, it is remarkable, and speaks well for the South, that of 
 the 270,000 Federal prisoners she* held from first to last, only 8^2 
 per cent, of them died; whereas, of the 220,000 Confederate pris 
 oners held in the opulent North 12 per cent, of them died. The 
 excessive sickness and large percentage of deaths at Andersonville 
 
526 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 were exceptional, due, partly, to the site of the prison, which was 
 selected on account of its remoteness from the seat of war and its 
 being in the midst of an agricultural section not subject to 
 foraging or raiding parties ; partly, to the insufficiency of doctors 
 and medical supplies, especially quinine, which the Washington 
 government had made contraband of war ; and, partly, to the bad 
 sanitary condition of the prison, together with its crowded state, 
 neither of which could be remedied. Tn short, the Confederate 
 authorities were, at the time of which I write, absolutely power 
 less to take any better care of their prisoners. 
 
 Still the "Andersonville horror" might have been prevented. 
 How ? In 1864 the Confederate government was anxious to effoct 
 an exchange of prisoners with the United States government for 
 two reasons to replete the Southern armies with Confederate 
 prisoners from Northern prisons and to rid itself of the burden 
 of feeding and otherwise caring for the many thousands of 
 Federal prisoners on its hands. Overtures with the view of 
 bringing about an exchange of prisoners were made to the proper 
 officials at Washington, but they were abortive. Mr. Stanton, 
 President Lincoln s war secretary, upheld by the well-known 
 opposition of General Grant to an exchange, turned a deaf ear 
 to these overtures. It is doubtful if the matter was ever brought 
 to the attention of Mr. Lincoln ; for if it had been done it is prob 
 able that his big and humane heart would have felt the necessity 
 of relieving in this way the Andersonville prisoners from their 
 miserable situation. 
 
 On the 8th of August, 1864, about the time I was at Anderson 
 ville, General Grant sent the following telegram to General B. F. 
 Butler regarding the subject of exchange. It is very significant 
 and shows conclusively upon whom the responsibility rests for the 
 protracted sufferings of Federal soldiers in Southern prisons. 
 General Grant said : 
 
 "On the subject of exchange, however, I differ with General 
 Hitchcock. It is hard on our men held in Southern prisons not to 
 release them, but it is humanity to those left in the ranks to fight 
 our battles. To commence a system of exchange now, which 
 liberates all prisoners taken, we will have to fight on until the 
 whole South is exterminated. If we hold those already caught, 
 they amount to no more than so many dead men. At this par- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 527 
 
 ticular time, to release all rebel prisoners would ensure Sherman s 
 defeat and compromise our safety here."* 
 
 Clearly, then, the policy of the Federal authorities was opposed 
 to an exchange of prisoners. Rather than run the risk of turning 
 the tide of war in favor of the South, by returning through 
 exchange Confederate prisoners to its armies, they preferred to 
 let their own men suffer and die in Southern prisons. Having all 
 the world to draw from for reinforcements, they had no need of 
 their imprisoned soldiers. So, according to General Grant s view, 
 it was better policy, a more humane deed, to allow them to stay 
 on and rot at Anderson ville than to release them by exchange 
 and thus invite the defeat of the North. As a war measure this 
 was good policy, no doubt, but considered from a humanitarian 
 point of view it was damnable. 
 
 Failing in the matter of exchange, the Confederate authorities, 
 moved this time b} T considerations of humanity, proposed, so I 
 have been informed, that the Federal authorities should send to 
 Andersonville with medical supplies their own physicians to take 
 charge of the sick and wounded there. But this offer was 
 declined, although it must have been known at Washington that 
 the uncertain ways by which the South obtained its medical sup 
 plies through blockade runners and patriotic Southern Avomen 
 who smuggled them concealed underneath their petticoats 
 through the enemy s lines accounted for the lack of such medi 
 cines as were essential to overcome the diseases that prevailed at 
 Andersonville. 
 
 Finally, after being worn out by the obduracy of the Washing 
 ton government, the Richmond government offered to parole all 
 sick and wounded prisoners, provided transports were sent for 
 them at certain designated ports on the Southern coast.t This 
 was agreed to, and, after many vexations delays, ships were at 
 
 *See Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies Prisoners of 
 War Series II, Vol. VII, p. 606. 
 
 A Charleston (S. C.) lady told me that she thus brought through the 
 Federal lines packages of quinine. 
 
 fPensacola, Fla., was one of the points, if not the principal point, desig 
 nated. My old teacher after the war, Captain J. C. Rutherford, was the 
 Confederacy s agent to arrange the matter. 
 
 34 B. C. 
 
528 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 last sent, but not in time to prevent the death of many whose lives 
 by greater diligence might have been saved. 
 
 In view of the above facts, the South should not be charged 
 with inhumanity to the Andersonville prisoners. Though 
 poverty-stricken towards the end of the war, she yet did for them 
 the best she could with her limited means. Their condition was 
 dreadful, to be sure, and no one appreciated and deplored the fact 
 more than the people of the South ; but they could do nothing to 
 alleviate their situation, and the North would not when given the 
 opportunity. So it would seem that not Wirz, not the South, but 
 the North, which had adopted the policy of Grant s dispatch to 
 Butler, was responsible for their sufferings and long months of 
 agony in which their hearts sickened through hope deferred. 
 Theirs was a sad, a pitiable fate ; but it was what comes of war, 
 which is cruel and merciless a monster that all civilized peoples 
 should unite to condemn and thrust out of the world. 
 
 Interesting Comparison 
 
 [From the Richmond Times-Dispatch.] 
 
 One of the most important historical facts in "the great strug 
 gle we made for constitutional freedom" (as General Lee always 
 designated the war) is a correct statement of "the overwhelming 
 numbers and resources" against which the Confederates fought. 
 
 The disparity of numbers has been frequently brought out, but 
 never more clearly than by Mr. Cazemore G. Lee, of Washington, 
 in the following table, which was published originally in the 
 Baltimore Sun. 
 
 Mr. Lee s figures show that the total enlistments in the 
 Northern army were 2,778,304 as against 600,000 in the Con 
 federate army. The foreigners and negroes in the Northern army 
 aggregated 680,917, or 80,917 more than the total strength of the 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 529 
 
 Confederate army. There were 316,424 men of Southern birth 
 in the Northern army. Mr. Lee s figures are as follows: 
 
 Northern Army : 
 
 Whites from the North 2,272,333 
 
 Whites from the South 316,424 
 
 Negroes 186,017 
 
 Indians 3,530 
 
 Total 2,778,304 
 
 Southern Army 600,000 
 
 North s numerical superiority 2,178,304 
 
 In the Northern Army there were : 
 
 Germans 176,800 
 
 Irish 144,200 
 
 British Americans 53.500 
 
 English 45,500 
 
 Other nationalities 74,900 
 
 Negroes 186,017 
 
 Total 680,917 
 
 Total of Southern soldiers 600,000 
 
 Southern men in Northern Army 316,424 
 
 Foreigners 494,900 
 
 Negroes 186,017 
 
 Total 998,613 
 
 Armies at the war s end : 
 
 Aggregate Federal Army, May 1, 1865 1,000,516 
 
 Aggregate Confederate Army, May 1, 1865 133,433 
 
530 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 Number in battle. Confederates. Federals 
 
 Seven days fight 80,835^ 115,249 
 
 Antietam 35,255* 87,164 
 
 Chancellorsville 57,212 131,661 
 
 Freidericksburg 78,110 110,000 
 
 Gettysburg 62,000 95,000 
 
 Chickamauga 44,000 65,000 
 
 Wilderness 63,987 141,160 
 
 Federal prisoners in Confederate prisons 270.000 
 
 Confederate prisoners in Federal prisons 220,000 
 
 Confederates died in Federal prisons 26,436 
 
 Federals died in Confederate prisons 22,570 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALBY, 1861-1865. 531 
 
 PRISONERS OF WAR NORTH AND SOUTH 
 
 [Atlanta Journal.] 
 
 [Essay of Miss Ruth Rodgers that won the MacDowell Wolff 
 medal. The writer is not yet fourteen, but has already won two 
 medals for essays on Civil War topics.] 
 
 In the consideration of the Civil War, one of the special and 
 most interesting in all its various phases is the capture and treat 
 ment of prisoners of war. 
 
 In all nations or countries called civilized, when they may be 
 engaged in war, it is customary for the contending parties to 
 accept the surrender of men from the opposite army, when they 
 may be overtaken, and to hold in custody such as surrender. Such 
 as are thus taken are put hors- de-combat by being put in prisons, 
 and held as prisoners of war, under such rules as are commonly 
 regarded by what is termed civilized warfare, if, indeed, any 
 people who engage in a war may be properly called civilized. 
 Instead of being killed after their surrender, prisoners are taken 
 and held in prisons so that they may not further fight until 
 properly returned or exchanged. 
 
 The Civil War in the United States was one of the fiercest 
 struggles in history. The subject of prisoners in the Civil War 
 and their treatment furnishes to the student of military history 
 some of the most horrible and pathetic incidents of human suf 
 fering ever known in the world. Both sides of the contest, the 
 United States and the Confederate States of America, have much 
 to answer for in the matter of severe and cruel treatment of pris 
 oners. The advocates and partisans of either side have often 
 made charges of inhumanity against the other side. 
 
 The responsibility for the harsh and cruel treatment of pris 
 oners is not easy to fix in any specific or definite degree, and must 
 always be considered as general, except in some specific and indi 
 vidual cases. 
 
 As to which side was more to blame than the other can only be 
 fairly considered and estimated by taking a comparative view of 
 the means, powers and resources of both sides for the proper 
 treatment of prisoners. 
 
532 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 In view of the superior advantages of the United States gov 
 ernment, it seems that the fair and just judgment of true and 
 impartial history must be rendered in favor of the Confederate 
 States government. The Confederate government, at best, was 
 but provisional, and was not well established as a permanent and 
 reliable government. Its credit was not well established and could 
 not be counted on for any more than its immediately tangible and 
 visible resources in hand at that time. Its only available asset 
 for credit was the production of cotton, and at this period of war 
 the raising of cotton was curtailed and limited so as to make an 
 increase in substantial supplies for our armies. The property in 
 negroes at this time was uncertain as to its permanent character 
 or of duration, and was not available as security for credit. 
 
 Prisoners were simply so many parasites of the enemy on the 
 Confederacy. They were a lot of idle, non-paying, burdensome 
 boarders, who had to be constantly fed and guarded and who did 
 nothing to contribute to their own support. They were an incubus 
 upon a government already too weak to carry its own burden, 
 having a population of slaves who did not go into the armies to 
 help fight the battles for constitutional principles of government 
 wherein they were interested as to the whole number of slaves 
 and counted for three-fifths of their number of representation. 
 
 Our women and children had to be supported while our men 
 were engaged in the war. Then to take on an increase of hearty, 
 hungry men of more than a quarter of a million was a great tax 
 and undertaking for a people of limited means and resources. 
 
 Such was the condition of the Southern Confederacy when 
 taking so many prisoners. 
 
 With the United States government matters were different, a 
 government which the South helped to organize and establish, 
 a government of means, a government of prestige and power, and 
 with unlimited credit and immense resources. The United States 
 could afford to maintain as many prisoners as it would capture of 
 the Confederate armies. 
 
 They could draw from the whole world for both men and money 
 to meet their demands in emergency. 
 
 They could and did hire foreigners as soldiers for bounty, while 
 native Southern men went to war without hire. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 533 
 
 The total number of Federal prisoners captured by the Confed 
 erates was 270,000, by the report of Surgeon General Barnes, as 
 quoted by Congressman Hill in his famous reply to Blaine, as 
 shown by the official records in the War Department at Washing 
 ton. 
 
 The whole number of Confederate prisoners captured by the 
 Federals was 220,000. At once it is seen that the Federals were 
 50,000 more than the Confederates. 
 
 The number of Federals who died in Confederate prisons was 
 22,576, and the number of Confederates who died in Federal 
 prisons was 26,436. So it appears by official records that more 
 than 12 per cent, of the Confederate prisoners in Federal prisons 
 died and less than 9 per cent, of the Federal prisoners in Con 
 federate prisons died, notwithstanding the difference and dis 
 parity in means and resources between the North and South, 
 considering the superior advantages of the North over the South 
 for the proper care of prisoners. 
 
 PRISON POINTS. 
 
 In the North were numerous places for prisoners. They were 
 located at points as follows: 
 
 Alleghany, Pa. ; Alton, 111. ; Camp Cutler, 111. ; Camp Chase, O. ; 
 Camp Douglas, 111. ; Camp Morton, Ind. ; Elmira, N. Y. ; Fort 
 Columbus, N. Y.; Fort Lafayette, N. Y.; Fort Warren, Md.; 
 Fort Wood, N. Y.; Fort Pickens, Fla.; Point Lookout, Md.; 
 Eock Island, 111. ; Johnson s Island, O. ; Louisville, Ky. ; Mem 
 phis, Tenn. ; Nashville, Tenn. 
 
 In this essay it is unnecessary to specify the number of pris 
 oners in each station, as they were distributed to suit the wishes 
 and conveniences of the government, presumably for their own 
 convenience for supplies, guards, and facility for keeping. 
 
 In the South prisons were located at Americus, Ga. ; Camp 
 Sumter, Andersonville, Ga. ; Cahaba, Ala. ; Camp Lawton, Millen, 
 Ga. ; Camp Oglethorpe, Macon, Ga. ; Charleston, S. C. ; Florence, 
 S. C.; Columbia, S. C.; Charlotte, N. C.; Salisbury, N. C.; 
 Raleigh, N. C.; Danville, Va.; Richmond, Va.; Belle Isle, Castle 
 Thunder, Crews, Libby, Pemberton s, Scott s, Smith s Factory. 
 
 The supposition is likewise that these places were selected for 
 the convenience of the Confederate government for purposes of 
 
534 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 safety from raids for the release of prisoners and for proper care 
 of prisoners. 
 
 The prison at Anderson ville, called Camp Sujnter, was the most 
 noted of all the Confederate prisons. In this prison were more 
 Union prisoners and more suffering than in any other prison in 
 the Confederate States. There Captain Henry Wirz was in com 
 mand, and to him has been charged the alleged cruelties and 
 crimes at the prison. 
 
 It is undoubtedly true that there was much suffering in this 
 prison, but it is hardly true that Captain Wirz was responsible 
 for all of it, if for any. 
 
 He was Swiss by birth, a physician by profession, and he came 
 to America long before the war and located in New Orleans, La. 
 He entered the Confederate army and was severely wounded in a 
 battle, so as to bar him from active field service. He was assigned 
 and detailed for duty as commanding officer at Andersonville 
 prison. 
 
 After the surrender he was charged by the Federal authorities 
 with various crimes at the prison. He was taken to Washington 
 city, and there held to trial by a military court, which condemned 
 him to be hung, and he was executed on the 10th of November. 
 1865. 
 
 The military court which tried and condemned Confederate 
 Captain Henry Wirz was presided over by General Lewis Wal 
 lace, who subsequently became the famous author of the book 
 known as "Ben Hur," which has been published in numerous edi 
 tions and read by thousands of our people. The work was also 
 dramatized and presented on theatrical stages to the interest of 
 many thousands of people and vast assemblies of spectators. I 
 wonder if any of them ever thought of the author of "Ben Hur" 
 as the same man and officer who ruled in the military court that 
 tried and condemned Confederate Captain Henry Wirz. 
 
 The circumstances of the Confederate government rendered it 
 practically impossible to give the prisoners all of their necessities. 
 Captain Wirz was condemned and hung as a cruel felon. His 
 cruel judge lived on and became famous. Does it not really seem 
 like the irony of fate ? 
 
 The United States was in better condition and with more 
 favorable circumstances for the proper care of prisoners, yet they 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 535 
 
 allowed our Confederate soldiers to suffer severely, many of them 
 being put to death without cause or reason. Many of them died 
 from starvation and freezing, as occurred at Elmira, N. Y., Fort 
 Delaware, Del., and at Sandusky (Johnson s Island), Ohio. 
 
 At Sandusky and Chicago sfre large cemeteries of our men who 
 died in these prisons. Brave patriots of the Southland, they were 
 true to the last, and they now rest in these cemeteries in view of 
 those who opposed their cause, as though they are to be silent 
 sentinels on guard forever for Southern manhood and courage, 
 fidelity and fortitude, honor and heroism. 
 
 Indeed, it seems appropriate and timely that the United States 
 should adopt the suggestion of the lamented President McKinley, 
 that the Federal government "should share with us in the care of 
 Confederate soldiers graves." He said, "Every soldier s grave 
 made during our unfortunate Civil War is a tribute to American 
 valor." 
 
 It is simply a tale of horror to read now the official reports of 
 the lives of Confederate soldiers in prison. A significant fact 
 with regard to the records, that in the reports of the superinten 
 dents of prisons, under the headings of "conduct" almost inva 
 riably show "good" and "very good." Let us contrast these 
 reports of uniform good conduct of Confederates in prison with 
 the severity of the manner in which they were treated by their 
 cruel guards. For men whose behavior was "good" to be treated 
 as they were was simply wanton cruelty without cause. 
 
 The South had a double duty imposed upon it, in the case of 
 prisoners in their prisons, and it also contributed to the comfort 
 of Confederate soldiers in Northern prisons. 
 
 The Confederate government sent large quantities of cotton to 
 the North to be sold and the proceeds to be applied for the pur 
 chase of supplies for the Confederates in prison. 
 
 Confederate General William N. R. Beall was in a Yankee 
 prison. He was released on parole of honor and was designated 
 for the purpose of receiving and selling the cotton and buying 
 supplies and distributing them amongst the prisoners at various 
 prisons. 
 
 Eight hundred and thirty bales of cotton sent to New York, 
 after being properly prepared for market, sold at public auction 
 February 8th, 1865, at an average price of 82 cents per pound, 
 
536 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 netted $331,789.66, which sum was used for the purpose of buying 
 supplies for our prisoners in Northern prisons. 
 
 On August 8, 1864, General U. S. Grant sent a telegram to 
 General Butler as follows : 
 
 "On the subject of exchange, however, I differ with General 
 Hitchcock. It is hard on our men held in Southern prisons not to 
 release them, but it is humanity to those left in the ranks to fight 
 our battles. To commence a system of exchange now which lib 
 erates all prisoners taken, we will have to fight on until the whole 
 South is exterminated. If we hold those already caught they 
 amount to no more than so many dead men. At this particular 
 time, to release all rebel prisoners would insure Sherman s defeat 
 and compromise our safety here." 
 
 After abundant and indubitable proofs, the responsibility for 
 the suffering of prisoners North and South has been laid upon 
 the authorities of the United States government, and there let it 
 abide in history. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 537 
 
 REGIMENTAL ROLLS OF OFFICERS 
 
 First S. C. Cavalry : Colonel John L. Black. Captains Co. 
 A, M. T. Owens; Co. B, N. Nesbitt; Co. C, T. W. Whatley ; Co. D, 
 J. S. Wilson; Co. E, J. D. Trezevant; Co. F, Elam Sharpe; 
 Co. G, L. J. Johnson; Co. H. K. C. Jones; Co. I, K. P. Fox; 
 Co. K, Lieut. F. A. Sitgreaves. 
 
 (From Rolls.) 
 
 "First Regiment Cavalry : Colonel J. L. Black. Lieutenant- 
 Colonels J. D. Twiggs, W. A. Walker. Major Niles Nesbitt. 
 Adjutant C. H. Ragsdale. Sergeant-Major Ed. Yarborough. 
 Quartermasters H. L. Mason, James Henderson. Commissary 
 W. A. Peden. Surgeons Charles Pinckney, Joseph Yates. 
 Assistant Surgeons - Sams, - Whaley. Chaplain 
 
 Richard Johnson. Hospital Steward Penney. Ordnance 
 
 Sergeant Ed. Sharpe. Chief Buglers John Small, Sr., Charles 
 Franklin. Musician Jesse Gladden. Captains Co. A, M. T. 
 Owens, S. H. Jones; Co. B, Miles Nesbit, W. J. Leake; Co. C, 
 J. D. Twiggs, Thos. W. Whatley; Co. D, W. A. Walker, John F. 
 Wilson; Co. E, J. D. Trezevant; Co. F, Elam Sharp, A. T. Clay 
 ton; Co. G, L. J. Johnson; Co. H, Robert Ap. C. Jones; Co. I, 
 John R. C. Fox, Fred Horsey ; Co. K, Angus P. Brown." 
 
 Second Regiment of Cavalry: Colonel M. C. Butler. Lieu 
 tenant-Colonel Frank Hampton. Major Thos. J. Lipscomb. 
 Co. A, from Kershaw, Capt. John Chestnut ; *Co. B, from Beau 
 fort, Capt. Thos. E. Screven; Co. C, from Richland, Capt. John 
 Meighan; Co. D, from Charleston, Capt. J. C. McKewn; Co. E, 
 from Spartanburg, Capt. A. H. Dean; Co. F, from Pickens, 
 Capt. J. W. Gary; Co. H, from Richland, Capt. Jas. P. McFie; 
 Co. I, from Edgefield, Capt, J. H. Clarke; Co. K, from Green 
 ville, Capt. L. Williams. 
 
 Adjutant J. W. Moore s memorandum : 
 
 "The Second Regiment of Cavalry was composed of 1st, Hamp 
 ton Legion Cavalry (four troops) ; 2nd, Easley s Squadron (four 
 troops) ; 3rd, two independent troops, Boy kin Rangers, Capt. 
 
538 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 A. H. Boykin ; Bonham Light Dragoons, Capt. Thos. J. Lipscomb. 
 Its organization was completed at Urbana, Maryland, 9th Septem 
 ber, 1862, while in the field. The last troop (Boy kin s) reported 
 that day. M. C. Butler, Colonel; Frank Hampton, Lieutenant- 
 Colonel; Thos. J. Lipscomb, Major; James W. Moore, Adjutant; 
 James N. Lipscomb, Quartermaster; Smith B. Blocker, Com 
 missary; B. W. Taylor, Surgeon; H. W. Moore, Assistant Sur 
 geon. Troop A, Capt. A. B. Boykin (afterwards John A. Chest 
 nut) ; Troop B, Capt. Thos E. Screven (subsequently promoted 
 lieutenant-colonel); Troop C, Capt. John Meighan; Troop D, 
 Capt. J. C. McKewn; Troop E, Capt. A. H. Dean; Troop F, 
 Capt. John Westfield ; Troop G, Capt. J. Wister Gary ; Troop H, 
 Capt. Jas. P. McFie; Troop I, Capt. T. H. Clark; Troop K, 
 Capt. Leonard Williams." 
 
 "Fourth S. G. Cavalry: The Fourth South Carolina Cavalry 
 was organized into a regiment December 16, 1862, by consol 
 idating the battalions of Major William Stokes and Major W. P. 
 Emanuel, of four companies each, and the Charleston Light 
 Dragoons, Capt. B. H. Rutledge s company, and Capt. Thos. 
 Pinckney s company, aggregating some 1,000 men; with B. H. 
 Rutledge, Colonel; William Stokes, Lieutenan t- Colonel ; W. P. 
 Emanuel, Major; G. E. Manigault, Adjutant; I. McP. Gregorie, 
 Surgeon; Chas. Dupont, Assistant Surgeon; J. W. McCurry, 
 Quartermaster; A. P. Lining, Commissary; A. J. Burton, Ser 
 geant Major; Hugo G. Sheridan, Ordnance Sergeant; Cordes, 
 Commissary Sergeant. Co. A, from Chesterfield, Capt. Henry 
 Mclver; Co. B, from Chester and Fairfield, Capt. O. Barber; 
 Co. C, from Pickets, Oconee and Anderson, Capt. J. C. Calhoun ; 
 Co. D, from Georgetown (mainly), Capt. Thos. Pinckney; Co. E, 
 from Marlboro (mainly), Capt. P. L. Breeden; Co. F, from 
 Marion (mainly), Capt. W. C. Hewit; Co. G, from Colleton and 
 Orangeburg, Capt. W. P. Appleby; Co. H, from Lancaster 
 (mainly), Capt. John C. Foster; Co. I, from Williamsburg 
 (mainly), Capt. S. J. Snowden; Co. K (Charleston Light Dra 
 goons), from Charleston, Capt. R. H. Colcock. The former cap 
 tains of the companies, and captains who succeeded some of these 
 in command at the organization of the regiment, can be found on 
 the company rolls. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 539 
 
 (From Rolls.) 
 
 "Fourth S. C. Cavalry: Colonel B. H. Rutledge. Lieutenant- 
 Colonel William Stokes. Major W. P. Emanuel. Adjutant- 
 Gabriel E. Manigault, Surgeon Isaac McP. Gregorie. Assis 
 tant Surgeon Charles Dupont. Quartermaster I. W. McCurry. 
 Commissary Arthur P. Lining. Sergeant-Major Allen J. Ben- 
 ton. Ordnance Sergeant Hugo G. Sheridan. Commissary Ser 
 geant Cordes. Captains Co. A, Jas. C. Craig; Co. B. 
 Osborne Barber ; Co. C, John C. Calhoun ; Co. D, Thos. Pinckney ; 
 Co. E, W. P. Emanuel, Henry Edens, P. L. Breeden; Co. F. 
 D. Monroe, H. Godbold, W. C. Hewett, W. B. Evans; Co. G. 
 Wm. Stokes, Wm. P. Appleby; Co. H, J. D. Mcllwain, W. J. 
 Mcllwain, J. C. Foster; Co. I, John Watson, G. P. Nelson, S. J. 
 Snowden; Co. K, B. H. Rutledge, R. H. Colcock." 
 
 The Fifth S. C. Cavalry was organized on the 18th January. 
 1863, by the consolidation of Major Jeffords and Major Morgan s 
 battalions of four companies each, and Captain Whilden s and 
 Captain Harlan s companies, with an aggregate of 1,200 men. 
 Colonel, S. W. Ferguson: Lieutenant- Colonel, R. J. Jeffords; 
 Major, J. H. Morgan. Co. A, from Orangeburg, Capt. J. C. 
 Edwards; Co. B, from Charleston, Capt. A. B. Mulligan; Co. C, 
 from Colleton, Capt. W. G. Smith ; Co. D, from Charleston, Capt. 
 Zimmerman Davis; Co. E, from Charleston, Capt. L. A. Whilden; 
 Co. F, from Lexington, Capt. A. H. Caughman; Co. G, from 
 Charleston, Capt. B. W. McTureous; Co. H, from Sumter, Capt, 
 R, M. Skinner; Co. I, from Barnwell and Orangeburg, Capt. 
 T. W. Tyler; Co. K, from Spartanburg and Union, Capt. J. C. 
 Harlan. 
 
 Colonel Zimmerman Davis furnishes the following regimental 
 sketch Fifth Regiment South Carolina Cavalry, organized Jan 
 uary 18, 1863 : 
 
 "S. W. Ferguson, Colonel; Robert I. Jeffords, Lieutenant- 
 Colonel ; Joseph H. Morgan, Major. Composed of Major Jeffords 
 battalion of four companies, Major Morgan s battalion of four 
 companies, and the two companies of Captain Whilden and Cap 
 tain Harlan, as follows: Co. A, Capt. J. C. Edwards, Orange 
 burg; Co. B, Capt. A. B. Mulligan, Charleston; Co. C, Capt. 
 W. G. Smith, Colleton ; Co. D, Capt. Zimmerman Davis, Charles- 
 
540 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 ton; Co. E, Capt. L. A. Whilden, Charleston; Co. F, Capt. A. H. 
 Caughman, Lexington; Co. G, Capt. B. W. McTureous, Charles 
 ton; Co. H, Capt. K. M. Skinner, Sumter; Co. I, Capt. T. W. 
 Tyler, Barnwell and Orangeburg; Co. K, Capt. J. C. Haiian, 
 Spartanburg and Union. The aggregate number on the rolls 
 being about 1,200. 
 
 "The respective battalions and companies performed duty, in 
 detached portions, on the coast of South Carolina from Novem 
 ber, 1861, to April, 1864, s^Qme of them being engaged in the bat 
 tles of Pocotaligo, May 28, 1862 ; Yemassee, October 22, 1862, and 
 Secessionville, June 16, 1862. 
 
 "About July, 1863, Colonel Ferguson, never having assumed 
 command, having been promoted to be brigadier-general in the 
 Army of the West, John Dunovant was appointed colonel. 
 
 "In April, 1864, the regiment was ordered to Virginia to form a 
 part of General M. C. Butler s brigade. Arriving there by rail in 
 advance of the horses, it served as infantry, and performed severe 
 duty for several weeks on the south of the James Eiver, between 
 Richmond and Petersburg, participating in the battles of Chester 
 Station, May 10; Drewry s Bluff, May 16; Atkinson s Farm, 
 May 17; Charles City Court House, May 24, and several skir 
 mishes. 
 
 "Being armed with Enfield rifles, this regiment inaugurated the 
 system of fighting cavalry as infantry, which was afterwards 
 almost universally adopted, and which gave the cavalry under 
 Hampton and Butler so much celebrity. 
 
 "On the 28th day of May, 1864, the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth 
 regiments of South Carolina cavalry were formed near Al tee s 
 Station, Va., into a brigade under M. C. Butler, and during the 
 campaign that year in Virginia participated in the following 
 battles: Hawe s Shop, May 28; Cold Harbor, or Matadequin 
 Creek, May 30 ; Trevillian Station, June 11 and 12 ; White House. 
 June 20; Samaria Church, June 24; Riddle s Shop, June ; 
 Nance s Shop, July 5; Sappony Church, June 28; Darbytown 
 Road, August 18; Gravelly Run, August 23; Reams Station, 
 August 25; Wyatt s Farm, September ; Vaughan Road, 
 September 29 ; Cummin s Farm, October 1 ; Burgess Mill, Octo 
 ber 27 ; Hicksf ord, December 8 ; besides a great number of skir 
 mishes. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. oil 
 
 "During this campaign the losses of this regiment were about 
 50 killed, 300 wounded and 30 captured. Among the killed were 
 Colonel Dunovant, who was promoted to the temporary rank of 
 brigadier-general, and Lieu tenant- Colonel Jeffords. 
 
 "In January, 1865, Butler s brigade was ordered to Columbia, 
 S. C., for the purpose of procuring remounts, and had not com 
 pleted its reorganization when it was placed in Sherman s front, 
 and from the 14th day of February, 1865, until the final surrender 
 of General Jos. E. Johnston s army in North Carolina, scarcely a 
 day passed in which this regiment was not engaged with the 
 enemy. It participated in the brilliant dash into Kilpatrick s 
 camp, near Fayetteville, March 10, and in the battles at Benton- 
 ville and Averysboro, March 20 and 21. The casualties on this 
 campaign from Columbia, S. C., to Hillsboro, N. C., were six 
 killed, twenty-three wounded and fourteen captured. 
 
 "The regiment never surrendered. On the eve of the surrender 
 of General Johnston s army it was marched all night and the next 
 day to a point near the South Carolina line, and there disbanded, 
 the men returning to their homes, with all their arms and equip 
 ments. At this time there were present for duty about 150 
 mounted men. 
 
 "The following were the field, staff and company officers at the 
 close of the war: Zimmerman Davis, Colonel; J. E. Edwards, 
 Lieutenant- Colonel; J. H. Morgan, Major; Lieut. Virgil C. Dib 
 ble, Adjutant ; Capt. Ellis C. Green, Assistant Quartermaster and 
 Commissary; Capt. H. M. Faust, M . D., Assistant Surgeon; 
 Glenn E. Davis, Sergeant Major; J. A. Quackenbush, Quarter 
 master Sergeant; A. E. Gadsden, Jr., Commissary Sergeant; 
 Julius P. Browne, Jr., Ordnance Sergeant ; W. G. Duval, Bugler. 
 
 "Company A Captain, Theo. A. Jeffords; Lieutenants, 
 D. Dantzler, V. C. Dibble, John D. Browne. 
 
 "Company B Captain, A. B. Mulligan; Lieutenants, *B. F. 
 Buckner, J. T. Foster, A. J. Harrison. 
 
 "Company C Captain, G. W. Raysor; Lieutenants, J. E. 
 Larrissey, B. Willis. 
 
 "Company D Captain, George Tupper: Lieutenants. J. P. 
 DeVeaux, George H. Smith. 
 
 "Company E. Captain Jos. L. Inglesby; Lieutenants, W. C. 
 Yenning, J. O. Freeman. 
 
542 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 "Company F Captain, A. H. Caughman; Lieutenants, P. H. 
 Caughman, T. B. Roberts. 
 
 "Company G Captain, B. W. McTureous ; Lieutenants, T. W. 
 Easterling, J. B. McCants, H. H. Murray. 
 
 "Company H Captain, A. H. Bradham; Lieutenants, J. C. 
 Bethune, F. M. Rhame, 
 
 "Company I Captain, T. W. Tyler; Lieutenants, E. Brooker, 
 J. M. Whetstone, M. J. Rice. 
 
 "Company K Lieutenant, F. H. Bates." 
 
 (From Rolls.) 
 
 "Fifth S. C. Cavalry: Colonels John Dunovant, T. P. Jef 
 fords, Zimmerman Davis. Lieutenant-Colonel J. C. Edwards 
 Adjutant Theo. A. Jeffords. Quartermaster Ellis C. Green. 
 Surgeon Thos. S. Thompson. Assistant Surgeon Henry M. 
 Faust. Sergeant-Majors Virgil C. Dibble, Glenn E. Davis. 
 Quartermaster Sergeants J. A. Quackenbush, Alex. E. Gads- 
 den, Jr. Ordnance Sergeant Julius P. Brown. Farrier P. 
 Mclnnes. Bugler W. G. Duval. Color Bearer J. J. Scott. 
 Captains Co. A, T. A. Jeffords; Co. C, G. W. Raysor; Co. D, 
 Robert J. Jeffords, George Tupper; Co. E, Jos. L. Inglesby; 
 Co. F, Wesley F. Caughman; Co. G, William Disher; Co. H, 
 William Nettles, E. M. Bradham; Co. I, J. W. Reed, P. A. 
 Raysor." 
 
 The Sixth S. C. Cavalry : Lieutenant Alfred Aldrich furnishes 
 the following statement of this organization : 
 
 "Colonel Hugh K. Aiken. Lieutenant- Colonel L. P. Miller. 
 Major T. B. Ferguson. Quartermaster Richard Ward. Com 
 missary E. H. Frost. Surgeon Frank Calhoun. Assistant 
 Surgeon Lewis Grimball. Adjutant Robert Aldrich. 
 
 "Company A Captain, M. A. Sullivan; First Lieutenant, 
 J. Harvey Woods; Second Lieutenant, J. Mims Sullivan; Third 
 Lieutenant, John M. Sullivan. 
 
 "Company B Captain, Lewis Jones; First Lieutenant, James 
 J. Gregg; Second Lieutenant, John M. Ward; Third Lieutenant, 
 John Bauskett. 
 
 "Company C Captain, Peter W. Goodwin; First Lieutenant, 
 Robt. W. Kennedy; Second Lieutenant, R. S. Cobb; Third Lieu 
 tenant, Walter Bailey. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 543 
 
 "Company D Captain, Wm. M. Hale ; First Lieutenant, Rob 
 ert E. Evans; Second Lieutenant, A. Austin; Third Lieutenant, 
 Wm. H. Rich. 
 
 "Company E Captain, Jas. P. Knight; First Lieutenant, 
 W. D. Evans; Second Lieutenant, Joseph W. Goodgion; Third 
 Lieutenant, Lowry (Roll, Chas. B. Brooks). 
 
 "Company F Captain, M. B. Humphrey; First Lieutenant, 
 A. W. Dozier; Second Lieutenant, A. (J.) Nettles; Third Lieu 
 tenant, Alfred Aldrich. 
 
 "Company G Captain, John Miot; First Lieutenant, E. B. 
 Clinkscales; Second Lieutenant, James Taggart; Third Lieuten 
 ant, John Kennerly. 
 
 "Company H Captain, M. Maguire; First Lieutenant, H. M. 
 Rush; Second Lieutenant, J. A. Kellar; Third Lieutenant, J. M. 
 Cantwell. 
 
 "Company I Captain, Joe N. Whitner; First Lieutenant, 
 Robt. AY. Jenkins; Second Lieutenant, Honorine H. McClena- 
 ghan ; Third Lieutenant, Edward DeBerry. 
 
 "Company K Captain, M. J. Hough ; First Lieutenant, AA r . P. 
 Hunt; Second Lieutenant, AA r . B. Hancock (Roll, J. M. Field) ; 
 Third Lieutenant, J. M. Hough. 
 
 "This regiment was organized at Camp Preston, near Columbia ; 
 was ordered to duty at Adams Run, S. C., and served in defence 
 of the coast of South Carolina till May, 1863, assisting under 
 General Colquitt in repelling an advance of the enemy on the 
 Charleston and Savannah road via John s Island, in the winter 
 of 1863-64. In May, 1864, it was ordered to Virginia, and took 
 part in the battles and skirmishes of Louisa C. H., Trevillian 
 Station, AVhite House, Samaria Church, Riddle s Shop, Nance s 
 Shop, Sappony Church, Darbytown Road, Gravelly Run, Reams 
 Station, AVyatts Farm, A^aughan s Road, Cumming s Farm, 
 Burgess Mill, Hicks Ford, and other minor engagements. This 
 regiment was a part of General M. C. Butler s Brigade. Hamp 
 ton s Division. In January. 1865, Butler s brigade was ordered to 
 Columbia, S. C., and from the middle of February till the close 
 of the war in April, the Sixth regiment of cavalry was in daily 
 and nightly contact with General Sherman s forces, participating 
 in the battles of Lynclrs Creek (where Colonel Aiken was killed), 
 Fayetteville. Averysboro and Bentonville. It went into service 
 
 35 B. C. 
 
544 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 1,200 strong, and like most Confederate regiments was fought out 
 to a frazzle." 
 
 (From Rolls.) 
 
 Sixth S. C. Cavalry : Colonel Hugh K. Aiken. Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Lorick P. Miller. Major T. B. Ferguson. Quarter 
 master Richard Ward. Commissary E. Horry Frost. Sur 
 geons Frank Calhoun, - - McCauley, Lewis Grimball. Adju 
 tant Robert Aldrich. Sergeant Majors J. O. Sheppard, Ben 
 jamin M. Shipman. Quartermaster Sergeant Milledge B. Ward. 
 Commissary Sergeant S. S. Gibbes. Chief Bugler Hoff 
 man. Captains Co. A, Milton A. Sullivan ; Co. B, Lewis Jones, 
 Jas. J. Gregg; Co. C, Peter W. Goodwyn; Co. D, Wm. M. Hale; 
 Co. E, James P. Knight; Co. F, Moses B. Humphrey; Co. G, 
 Jno. R. Miot; Co. H, J. J. Maguire; Co. I, Joe X. Whitner; 
 Co. K, M. J. Hough." 
 
. 
 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 545 
 
 COLONEL THOMAS J. LIPSCOMB, "C. S. A." 
 
 On Wednesday, November the 4th, 1908, the soul of Thomas J. 
 Lipscomb took its flight. For months past he had suffered from 
 a severe illness, enduring with Christian resignation the pain 
 which He, in His wisdom, placed upon him. Colonel Lipscomb 
 was born in Abbeville District, March the 27th, 1833, thus pass 
 ing the three score years and ten, the age limit almost of a man s 
 life. His student life was spent within the walls of the historic 
 South Carolina College and the far-famed University of Vir 
 ginia. He contemplated the study and practice of medicine, and 
 to that end entered the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, 
 graduating from the Medical College of Charleston in 1857. Upon 
 his graduation he went for a season abroad. But the quiet of 
 home life was to be denied him, the w r ar cloud had lowered and 
 the State he had been reared to love with all his heart demanded 
 his services and the services of every son within and without her 
 borders. To this demand Thomas J. Lipscomb was quick to 
 respond, and at the commencement of hostilities we find him 
 second lieutenant "B" company, Third Infantry, Colonel James 
 Williams; later (after the battle of Bull Run) he was assigned 
 to the staff of Brigadier-General M. L. Bonham, and when the 
 latter became governor he was transferred to the staff of General 
 Joseph B. Kershaw, and yet again WQ find him as an aide-de 
 camp to that sturdy old soldier Jubal A. Early. 
 
 Returning to South Carolina he recruited a company of cavalry 
 and was attached to "Hampton s Brigade," and under the eyes 
 of this officer he saw what he desired to see the most active 
 service in the field and earned laurels for himself and the gal 
 lant Second South Carolina Cavalry second to none when in the 
 face of the enemy. At Stevensburg he behaved with much gal 
 lantry the colonel being fearfully wounded and the lieutenant- 
 colonel killed and on the field of Gettysburg his dash and daring 
 endeared him to General Hampton, and though a rigid discip 
 linarian (but that for the good of the service), his men loved him 
 and would have followed him to the death. He was promoted to 
 colonel of the Second Cavalry in September. 1863. In the hottest 
 
546 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 engagement he was ever cool, calm and collected, and just here we 
 cite an instance of his courage: At Gettysburg, July 3rd, 1863. 
 in that terrible charge in which General Ha mpton was so des 
 perately wounded, a Yankee private charged with his squadron 
 directly towards Colonel Lipscomb, yelling as he advanced, "Oh, 
 damn you, I ve got you now," the Colonel coolly leveled his Colt s 
 revolver and sent a bullet crashing through his brain. 
 
 After the war, he returned to his native State, having rendered 
 his devoir for home and country. Ruin and desolation marked 
 the track of Sherman s horde, yet, with that manhood which was 
 his birthright, he threw himself body and soul into the work of 
 rehabilitation and with the co-operation of others to bring order 
 out of chaos. His work in the exciting period of 1876 can be 
 readily recalled by many. His devotion to Columbia, S. C., 
 during his term as mayor lives fresh in our memory. Loyalty 
 marked his whole career. 
 
 As one who knew him well informed those who attended to pay 
 the last tribute to the dead soldier: "I wish that you had been 
 where I was when he died." The fear of death never once dis 
 turbed his last moments. As in life he was reckoned among the 
 bravest of the brave, so in death we can imagine the gallant 
 soldier of "The Lost Cause" whispering as the world faded from 
 his vision : 
 
 "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 
 I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff 
 comfort me." 
 
 Resolved, That the memorial herewith submitted be spread 
 upon the minutes of "Camp Hampton, No. 389, U. C. V.", and 
 that a copy of the same be handed to the family. 
 Eespectf ully submitted : 
 
 U. R. BROOKS, Chmn. 
 Committee: WADE H. MANNING. 
 JIM RAWLS. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 547 
 
 AIKEN S PARTISAN RANGERS 
 
 In the spring of 1862 Hugh K. Aiken obtained permission from 
 President Davis to organize a regiment to be known as Aiken s 
 Partisan Rangers, and ten companies were soon enrolled and 
 reported to him at Columbia, S. C., and before the regiment was 
 fully organized Colonel Aiken was ordered with his command 
 to report to General Johnson Hagood at Adam s Run, S. C., and 
 it was there that the regiment elected officers and was known as 
 the Sixth S. C. C. Hugh K. Aiken as colonel, L. P. Miller as 
 lieutenant- colonel, and Thos. B. Ferguson as major. 
 
 Colonel Aiken appointed Bob Aldrich as adjutant and old 
 Dick Ward quartermaster; Milledge Ward succeeded him. 
 
 This regiment did a great deal of hard picket duty and had 
 severe skirmishes and were frequently under fire from the Yankee 
 gunboats along the coast from John s Island, in Charleston 
 County, to Bear s Island, below Jacksonboro, in Colleton County. 
 
 In December, 1862, Co. B, Capt. Lewis Jones, was sent to Jack 
 sonboro, and Co. F, Capt. Moses B. Humphries, was assigned to 
 duty on John s Island. Colonel Aiken remained at Adam s Run, 
 S. C., Avith the other eight companies Co. A, Capt. M. A. Sul 
 livan; Co. C, Capt. Peter C. Goodwyn; Co. D, Capt. Wm. Hale; 
 Co. E, Capt. J. P. Knight; Co. G, Capt. J. R. Minot; Co. H, 
 Capt. McGuire ; Co. I, Capt. J. N. Whitner ; Co. K, Capt. M. J. 
 Hough. 
 
 In March, 1864, we left the coast for Virginia. When the regi 
 ment reached Columbia the ladies gave us a big dinner on the 
 Asylum grounds, where General Hampton spoke. In the midst 
 of such a display of beauty, and after hearing such a stirring 
 speech, and with such a feast before us, we were confident that 
 the Yankee army would leave Virginia immediately upon our 
 arrival. One-half of the men were furloughed, and upon their 
 return the other half were allowed a short leave of absence. The 
 first half carried the horses through the country, and when they 
 arrived at Winnsboro the ladies gave them another big dinner, 
 and Colonel Aiken was the orator of the day. The last fur 
 loughed men went to Richmond in box cars, and arrived just 
 
548 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 before the horses crossed the James River. When Colonel Aiken 
 rode at the head of the Sixth Cavalry through Richmond the 
 people would say, "What brigade is that?" ^ 
 
 On the 28th May, 1864, the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Cavalry 
 were organized as Butler s Brigade. 
 
 Colonel Aiken of the Sixth, Lieutenant- Colonel Jeffords of the 
 Fifth, and Colonel Rutledge of the Fourth, were all at Trevillian. 
 
 As I remember, on Saturday, the llth day of June. Colonel 
 Aiken opened the fight, and about 12 o clock Colonel Aiken was 
 shot through the right lung and left on the field for dead. Major 
 Ferguson took command and then General Hampton rode up and 
 ordered us to mount and follow him. While sitting on his 
 splendid charger "Butler," with his hat in his hand, he looked 
 just as his statue does now on the State House grounds. The men 
 thought it a great honor to be led by General Hampton in a 
 charge. Company B rode just behind him (John Bauskett com 
 manding), and we saved Hart s battery. The Yankee line was 
 broken before the sabre could be used. General Hampton 
 emptied two saddles with his own pistol. In 1901 I asked General 
 Hampton how many he had killed in the war, and he said, 
 "Eleven, two with my sword and nine with my pistol." I said, 
 "How about the two at Trevillian?" "Oh," he said, "I did not 
 count them, they were running." 
 
 Colonel Aiken returned to the regiment about the 16th Sep 
 tember, when Hampton and Butler took Grant s cattle at City 
 Point. Colonel Aiken took command of the brigade about 4 
 o clock 1st October, when General Dunovant was killed, and was 
 in command on 27th October, 1864, at the battle of Burgesse s 
 Mill, where Major Hart lost his leg. Major Barker was wounded 
 at the Big Oak Tree. Preston Hampton was killed. Colonel 
 Aiken was still in command of the brigade up to the time of his 
 death, which occurred below Kelly town, in Darlington. 
 
 On the 24th February, 1865, General Butler being at Kelly- 
 town, ordered Colonel Aiken to take a regiment and proceed down 
 the east bank of Lynche s Creek and ascertain if any portion of 
 Sherman s army had crossed into Darlington County. Colonel 
 Aiken selected the Fifth S. C. Cavalry, commanded by Colonel 
 Zimmerman Davis. On the road to DuBose s bridge Colonel 
 Aiken met a picked body of men commanded by Lieutenant John 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 549 
 
 A. McQueen, Fifteenth Illinois Cavalry, and led the charge with 
 Colonel Davis by his side, and it being dark the men got into 
 close quarters, and Colonel Aiken was captured, but jerked the 
 reins out of the hands of the Yankee who held them, and escaped, 
 and rode up to Colonel Davis and dismounted, but was hit by one 
 of the parting shots of the enemy and cried out, "Davis, I am 
 dying, catch me." Thus ended the career of one of the bravest 
 and most gallant of the old brigade. 
 
550 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 SPEECHES MADE AT UNVEILING OF HAMPTON 
 
 MONUMENT 
 
 SPEECH OF HON. M. A. MORGAN. 
 
 Governor Hey ward : The Commission you appointed by virtue 
 of an Act of the General Assembly to erect an equestrian statue 
 to the memory of Wade Hampton has discharged that duty, and 
 wishes to make its final report to you. 
 
 We are so pleased with the honor of the appointment that we 
 failed for the moment to grasp the extent of the responsibility 
 imposed. As was natural, we hastened to the performance of an 
 agreeable undertaking and procured the Act of the General 
 Assembly to make it our chart in the task set before us. You can 
 imagine our sense of helplessness when we found that the Act 
 contained no hint or suggestion of what the monument should be, 
 save that it must be equestrian. 
 
 We realized that the memory of the great chieftain, an illus 
 trious warrior, the hero of an hundred battle-fields, must find 
 expression in that statue; that the Hampton of Reconstruction, 
 the Hampton of 76, the Hampton as Governor, and in the Senate 
 of the United States citizen, statesman and the leader and the 
 loved of all Carolina s yeomanry must be crystalized and per 
 petuated in the monument that we build. 
 
 The wide world of the sculptor s art lay before us ; myriads of 
 forms and figures, phantom-like, sprang into view, but out of the 
 vastness of it all we carved yonder statue, and in the fulfilment 
 of the duty assigned us, we present it to you and through you to 
 the people of the State. 
 
 Mr. Chairman and my Fellow-Citizens: This occasion brings 
 together patriotic citizens from every section of South Carolina. 
 Busy men have left all the important affairs which absorb their 
 time and attention they have left all to come to the capital of 
 their State and to take part in the exercises which will again do 
 honor to the memory of Carolina s greatest son. 
 

 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 551 
 
 This occasion brings together from every college in our State 
 delegations of young men and maidens, the future hope of our 
 country. They have left their duties and have come with college 
 presidents, officers and teachers, not only to have the privilege of 
 sharing in these exercises, but that they may once more gather 
 inspiration from the life and deeds of him whose monument now 
 stands unveiled before us in all its splendor. 
 
 Today we have with us many of the soldier boys of South Caro 
 lina. They march with bands playing and with hearts beating 
 with soldierly pride, these sons of sires who with Wade Hampton, 
 under the Stars and Bars, fought and bled for the Lost Cause, 
 and whose deeds of heroism gave glory to Southern manhood and 
 Southern patriotism, and "advanced the world in honor." 
 
 And gathered here are the noble women of our State, once more 
 to pay their faithful and loving tribute to our great leader, and in 
 so doing to inspire Southern chivalry with the purest and loftiest 
 inspirations ever given to brave men. They have come, these 
 fair daughters of South Carolina, matrons and maids, and by 
 their presence hallow these exercises, while the light of a sacred 
 love shines in their eyes as they turn their gaze from the bronze 
 horse and its bronze rider to yonder oak beneath whose shade lies 
 the old cavalier in the dreamless sleep that knows no waking. 
 
 And with us today are many of the men who w r ore the gray, 
 the unfaltering, self-sacrificing, glory-crowned veterans of the 
 Southern Confederacy. Here are gathered a few of the survivors 
 of the immortal Hampton Legion that band of cavalrymen, 
 who, in all his battles, in the rushing whirlwind of the charge, 
 amidst the blinding smoke and the flashing sabres, followed the 
 plume of Hampton, more valiantly than ever Frenchmen fol 
 lowed the helmet of Navarre. Pride should be with those old 
 soldiers today, for in honoring Hampton we honor them, and 
 the honor which is his will be shared by those whom he led. 
 Together they fought for home and country, and fame has no 
 greater heritage for any than the halo of glory which belongs to 
 the gray knights of the Hampton Legion. 
 
 There are here representatives of all that has made our State 
 great and honored in the past. With these are such memories as 
 can only belong to such a people memories of peace and of war; 
 memories of hope and of despair ; memories, alas ! of defeat, but 
 
552 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 fadeless memories of glory and honor. And so, in behalf of South 
 Carolina, in behalf of all that we as a people liold dear; by our 
 memories of the past and our hopes for the future; by all that 
 Hampton did for the State he loved so well, Senator Marshall and 
 gentlemen of the Commission, I, as Governor, proudly accept this 
 magnificent bronze statue of our great warrior and statesman, 
 whose cherished memory it will be the pride of South Carolinians 
 to transmit to their children s children through all generations 
 yet to come. 
 
 And now, my countrymen, I have only to add words that are 
 unnecessary for a South Carolina audience. It is meet and proper 
 that on this occasion extended tribute should be paid to a life 
 given in service to his State ; it is meet and proper that some of 
 the deeds both in peace and war which added lustre to the name 
 of Hampton, even as they added renown to the State, should be 
 recounted today. 
 
 And could yonder silent bronze figure speak; could the voice 
 of friendship be heard once more, and the spirit of him who 
 sleeps so quietly in old Trinity churchyard inspire us all of 
 these would ask that only one who had stood side by side with 
 him in peace and in war, in victory and in defeat, in sunshine 
 and in shadow, should speak to us of Hampton and of his deeds. 
 We have with us one who with Hampton wore the uniform of 
 gray ; who rode by his side during the four long years of deadly 
 struggle; who during the trying days of Reconstruction worked 
 with him for the redemption of our State, and who, when redemp 
 tion came, sat with him for years in the Senate of the United 
 States. Of him Hampton once said to a gentleman now seated 
 upon this platform and a member of this Commission: "Butler 
 was the coolest man in danger and the grandest man in a fight 
 I ever saw." 
 
 I now take pleasure in presenting to this great concourse Major- 
 General M. C. Butler, the orator of the day. 
 
 [The address of General M. C. Butler to the veterans of the 
 Confederacy and the South Carolinians in general gathered at 
 the unveiling of the monument erected to the memory of General 
 Wade Hampton is a contribution to the written history as well as 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 558 
 
 an eloquent tribute to General Hampton and to the Confederate 
 soldiers.] 
 
 This splendid pageant, made up of the remnant, the survivors 
 of the incomparable armies of the Confederacy, reinforced by the 
 gallant State National Guard, a later generation of citizen- 
 soldiers, and the great concourse of people from all sections of the 
 State, is a fitting tribute to the illustrious citizen-soldier and 
 statesman whose monument we unveil today. I trust I shall not 
 be charged with exaggeration or undeserved State pride when I 
 say this little State of ours has produced, according to population 
 and geographical area, as many very distinguished men, who 
 have served their country faithfully and well, as any of her sister 
 commonwealths, more than many of them. 
 
 No higher encomium can be conferred upon a man than to say 
 he was an illustrious citizen of a great State, that State an inte 
 gral part of a constitutional republic of limited powers, founded 
 upon the sovereignty of the people, "the consent of the gov 
 erned," as against the sovereignty of the king. 
 
 Such a citizen in such a State is endowed with the "divine 
 right" to rule and assumes with that right the responsibilities 
 and obligations that attach to all rulers in government. 
 
 The object of our profound respect and admiration, General 
 Wade Hampton, impersonated by this beautiful and enduring- 
 statue, was an ideal example of that citizenship to which I have 
 adverted. 
 
 It has been said, and truly said, that no man can properly and 
 successfully administer the a if airs of government as a representa 
 tive of sovereign people who has not learned to govern himself. 
 It is equally true that there are certain essential qualities of 
 character among them self-respect, self-control, fidelity in the 
 performance of duty, integrity and genuine courage that are 
 indispensable in attaining the highest point of true manhood. 
 General Hampton was endowed with all these in an eminent 
 degree. The possession of them, with a superb presence and an 
 unaffected dignity, enabled him to exercise that marvelous control 
 over large bodies of men amid turmoil and excitement for which 
 he was so famous. 
 
 I have remarked that this State has produced many very dis 
 tinguished men. 
 
554 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 In the great forum of debate, when the colonies were preparing 
 to secede from the mother country for reasons satisfactory to 
 themselves and organize an independent government, founded, as 
 I have said, on the sovereignty of the people and administered by 
 representatives of the people appointed by them, we find the 
 names of Rutledge, Pinckney, Middleton. Pierce Butler, Lowndes 
 and Heyward taking a conspicuous and commanding part con 
 tributing by their cultivated intellects and patriotic efforts in 
 establishing a government experimental in character, therefore 
 untried in the history of human governments ; their distinguished 
 colleagues from the other colonies co-operating zealously and 
 ably towards a common end. 
 
 And when the edict of rebellion and insurrection was hurled 
 against them from the British crown, and they took up arms to 
 vindicate their action and fight for the independent government 
 they had proclaimed to the world, we find added to this galaxy 
 of courageous patriots the names of Hampton, Pickens, Laurens, 
 Marion, Sumter and others less conspicuous but none the less 
 entitled to our veneration and respect. 
 
 And later, on the eve and during the second war for inde- 
 pence, 1812, we find the names of Calhoun, that intellectual 
 prodigy, Lowndes, William Butler, Hampton, and some of those 
 before mentioned, representing the State with surpassing ability 
 in the civic and military tribunals always among the foremost 
 in vindicating the rights of the people, the States and the Federal 
 government. And further on dow y n the course of time, when that 
 intellectual battle between intellectual giants arose and was con 
 ducted in the national arena over the powers of the State and 
 Federal governments under their respective written Constitu 
 tions and their proper Constitution, we may add the names of 
 Hayne and Poinsett, Legare and Pickens, and McDuffie, Butler, 
 Elmore, Rhett, Barnwell, Thompson, Preston, Hammond, 
 Brooks, Bonham, Chestnut and others who illumine the political 
 history of the times by their ardent patriotism, surpassing talents, 
 irresistible oratory and finished scholarship. 
 
 This, of course, is an incomplete roll call of the great men who 
 in the past reflected so much honor and credit on themselves and 
 their State. South Carolinians may well pride themselves on the 
 record made by her distinguished sons in the legislative, execu- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-186.5. 555 
 
 live and judicial departments of the government, State and 
 Federal, in the diplomatic and military service, in the learned 
 professions, in the ministry and industrial pursuits. 
 
 This brings us to the period, 1860, when the political debate 
 ended, and the controversy conducted with so much ability, 
 acrimony and finally bitterness on both sides as to the powers of 
 the Federal and State government was adjourned to the battle 
 field. 
 
 General Hampton did not subscribe to the doctrine of the sepa 
 rate State action by South Carolina to secede from the Union 
 alone on the election of an anti-slavery President, but he did 
 believe that allegiance to his State was paramount to allegiance to 
 the Federal government, and when the issue was fairly joined 
 as to what was the correct interpretation of the respective conten 
 tions and it was decided to settle the controversy with the sword, 
 he did not hesitate as to his duty. 
 
 Contemporaneous opinion of the right or wrong, the justifica 
 tion or otherwise of secession, is of no great value. We are all 
 on both sides of that question amenable to the influences of 
 environment, pride of opinion, bias or, if you please, prejudice. 
 When the body of the controversy, if I may be permitted such an 
 expression, is placed on the dissecting table, in years to come, in 
 the hands of a cold, dispassionate, political, historical scientist, 
 he will decide upon the evidence, and render a verdict accord 
 ingly. For one, I am willing to abide by the finding. If in less 
 than a half century after the event, the trend of political power 
 towards centralization in the Federal government, and in like 
 proportion has minimized the powers and influence of the States 
 and people, it requires no great stretch of prophetic opinion to 
 say what the next half century will bring forth, and how wise 
 and far-seeing the statesman and publicist were who struggled 
 against such a tendency. 
 
 My countrymen, if you could have been with me forty-five years 
 ago last June, at a point about three miles north of where we now 
 stand, you could have seen the martial figure of Wade Hampton, 
 about forty-three years of age, in the plenitude of his vigorous 
 manhood, organizing, equipping, preparing for active duty in the 
 field, a body of as fine soldiers the Hampton Legion as ever 
 shouldered a musket, drew a saber or handled a sponge-staff. 
 
556 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 The legion was composed of eight companies of infantry, four 
 troops of cavalry and two batteries of horse artillery the very 
 flower and pick of the patriotism and manhood of those who 
 volunteered their services to defend their convictions of right and 
 duty to their State. No better than thousands of their country 
 men who adopted the same line of action, all equal to any soldiers 
 of any army, in any time in the world s history. The legions 
 of Caesar, the grenadiers of Frederick, the old guard of 
 Napoleon, the Queen s Guards, the Scotch Highlanders of Great 
 Britain, were not their superiors. This is a high character for 
 the Confederate soldier, but I make it deliberately with a full 
 knowledge of its purport. Moreover, this claim is being more 
 and more recognized by the military critics of the world. 
 
 The field and staff of the Hampton Legion were Wade Hamp 
 ton, colonel; B. J. Johnson, lieutenant-colonel, and J. B. Griffin, 
 major; adjutant, T. C. Barker; quartermaster, Claude L. Good 
 win; commissary, Thomas Beggs; surgeon, John T. Darby; 
 assistant surgeons, Benjamin W. Taylor and Henry W. Moore. 
 
 On the death of Colonel Johnson, killed at the First Manassas, 
 Major Griffin was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, 
 assigned to the command of the infantry. Captain M. C. Butler, 
 promoted to the rank of major, assigned to the command of the 
 cavalry, and Captain James Connor, promoted to the rank of 
 major, and assigned to the infantry. 
 
 Stephen D. Lee was captain of one battery of horse artillery 
 and Captain W. K. Bachman the other. In the reorganization, 
 or rather the separation o,f the three branches of the service, 
 Captain M. W. Gary was promoted to the rank of lieutenant- 
 colonel and assigned to the infantry, which retained the name, 
 was subsequently increased to a regiment with Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Gary as colonel. The four troops by the addition of six troops 
 was increased to a regiment and Major M. C. Butler was chosen 
 colonel of what was afterwards known as the Second South 
 Carolina Cavalry. Captain Stephen D. Lee was promoted, finally 
 reaching the rank of lieutenant-general. Lieutenant James F. 
 Hart was made captain of the battery, and known afterwards as 
 Hart s battery, and with Bachman s was assigned to different 
 commands in the Army of Northern Virginia. The Hampton 
 Legion furnished to the Confederate armies two lieutenant- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 557 
 
 generals, one major-general and three brigadiers. As a general 
 officer, General Hampton s staff consisted of Major T. G. Barker, 
 Major H. B. McClellan, Colonel Thos. Taylor, Captain Rawlins 
 Lowndes, Dr. B. W. Taylor and Major John S. Preston. 
 
 Time will not permit me to follow these and the other officers 
 of the original organization of the legion through the different 
 grades and arms of the service. Suffice it to say they all flushed 
 their maiden swords under the splendid leadership of General 
 Hampton, and, leaving the present speaker out of consideration, 
 they all distinguished themselves as gallant, valiant soldiers in 
 their respective spheres of duty. 
 
 Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Hampton Statue Com 
 mission, when I did myself the honor to accept your invitation 
 to deliver the address of the occasion, I decided to devote the time 
 allotted to me to a review of General Hampton s military record, 
 * and accordingly addressed a note to the accomplished military 
 secretary of the army, Major F. C. Ainsworth, requesting such 
 information as might be preserved in the records of the War 
 Department at Washington. The following is his courteous 
 reply, accompanied by the statement of the military service of 
 Wade Hampton. C. s! A. : 
 
 "War Department, 
 "The Military Secretary s Office. 
 
 "Washington, October 18, 1906. 
 "General M. C. Butler, Woodlawn, S. C. 
 
 "MY DEAR GENERAL : In compliance with the request contained 
 in your letter of the 15th inst., I have the honor to transmit here 
 with a statement of the military service of Wade Hampton in the 
 Confederate States army. It is proper to remark in this connec 
 tion that honorable mention of his conduct on several occasions 
 also appears in the Official Records of the Union and Confed 
 erate Armies, and can be found by consulting the indexes to 
 Volumes II, XI. XII, XIX, XXI, XXV, XXVII, XXIX, 
 XXXIII, XXXVI, XL, XLVI. and XLVII of said publication 
 under the entry of his name. 
 
 "Very respectfully, 
 
 "F. C. AINSWORTH, 
 "The Military Secretary/ 
 
558 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 AVar Department, 
 The Military Secretary s Office. 
 
 Statement of the military service of Wade IJampton, C. S. A. : 
 
 Colonel, Hampton Legion, South Carolina Volunteers, June 12. 
 1861. 
 
 Brigadier-General, Provisional Army, Confederate States, May 
 23, 1862. 
 
 Major-General, Provisional Army, Confederate States, August 
 3, 1863. 
 
 Lieutenant-General, Provisional Army, Confederates States, 
 February 14, 1865. 
 
 Wade Hampton entered the military service of the Confederate 
 States as colonel of the Hampton Legion, South Carolina Volun 
 teers, June 12, 1861, said legion consisting of eight companies of 
 infantry, four companies of cavalry and two companies of artil 
 lery. With the infantry of his command, Colonel Hampton par 
 ticipated in the first battle of Bull Kun, Va., July 21, 1861, where 
 he was wounded. He bore a part as a brigade commander in the 
 subsequent battle on the peninsula of Virginia, from the begin 
 ning of operations at Yorktown until the battle of Seven Pines, 
 where he was again \vounded. The composition of his brigade 
 appears to have been as follows: Fourteenth and Nineteenth 
 Georgia, Hampton Legion, Sixteenth North Carolina and 
 Moody s (Louisiana) battery. 
 
 During the Seven Days battles he was in temporary command 
 of a brigade consisting o| the Tenth, Twenty-third and Thirty- 
 seventh Virginia infantry and Wooding s (Virginia) battery, but 
 the records fail to show fully the names of the field and staff 
 officers of those organizations at that time. 
 
 On July 28, 1862, he was assigned to the command of a brigade 
 of cavalry in the Army of Northern Virginia, with which he 
 actively served under the command of General J. E. B. Stuart in 
 the operations in Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania, until 
 wounded at Gettysburg, Pa., July 3, 1863. 
 
 From September 9, 1863, to August 11, 1864, he was in com 
 mand of a division of cavalry operating in northern Virginia 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 559 
 
 and in the campaign from the Wilderness to Richmond and 
 Petersburg. 
 
 On August 11, 1864, Major-General Hampton was assigned to 
 the command of the cavalr}^ of the Army of Northern Virginia, 
 with which he continued until late in January or early in Feb 
 ruary, 1865. On February 7, 1865, he was assigned to command 
 Butler s and Young s division of cavalry, in the department of 
 South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, Lieutenant-General Hardee 
 commanding. (For copy of only order bearing on the subject of 
 this assignment that has been found of record, see Official Records 
 of the Union and Confederate Armies, series 1, volume XLVII, 
 part II, p. 1112.) He was engaged in resisting the advance of the 
 Union army under General Sherman through the Carolinas, and 
 was present in the field at the time of the surrender of General 
 Joseph E. Johnston s army, but no record of his final capture or 
 parole has been found. F. C. AINS WORTH, 
 
 The Military Secretary. 
 
 War Department, 
 The Military Secretary s Office. 
 
 Washington, October 18, 1906. 
 
 There are two errors in the foregoing; first, in saying on Feb 
 ruary 7. 1865, General Hampton was assigned to the command 
 of Butler s and Young s division of cavalry. It should be But 
 ler s and Wheeler s division of cavalry. And second, in saying 
 that General Hampton was present in the field at the time of the 
 surrender of General Jos. E. Johnston, as is shown by the follow 
 ing correspondence : 
 
 "Chester, 27 April, 1865. 
 
 "General York: Forward following dispatch by courier to 
 Breckinridge. (Signed) WILLIAM PRESTON JOHNSTON." 
 
 "Hon. J. C. Breckinridge, Company Shops : 
 
 "Some time ago I notified General Johnston not to include me 
 in any surrender. You gave me orders to move on (25th). In 
 return I find army surrendered; think I am free. What is your 
 decision? Answer here at Greensboro. 
 
 "WADE HAMPTON, 
 "Lieutenant-General." 
 
 36 B. C. 
 
560 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 "Love s Ford, Broad River, 28th April, 1865. 
 "Lieutenant-General Wade Hampton, Greensboro, Lexington, 
 
 Salisbury, or any other point on line : . 
 "Your dispatches of 27th received. The verbal directions to 
 you contemplated your meeting General Johnston and his action 
 before any convention with enemy. If my letter to him of 25th 
 which you carried was not received before completion of terms, 
 the government, with its imperfect knowledge of the facts, cannot 
 interfere as to the body of the troops; but in regard to yourself, 
 if not present nor consenting, it is the opinion of the government 
 that you and others in like condition are free to come out. 
 
 "JOHN C. BRECKINRIDGE, 
 
 "Secretary of War." 
 
 As a matter of fact, both General Hampton and General 
 Wheeler left General Joseph E. Johnston s army before or after 
 it reached Greensboro, X. C., and during the armistice agreed 
 upon between Generals Johnston and Sherman, intending to make 
 their way to the Trans-Mississippi and join Lieutenant-General 
 Kirby Smith in command of the Confederate forces in that 
 department. Proceeding as far as Charlotte, X. C., as I was 
 informed at the time, they abandoned their purpose and returned 
 to their homes. 
 
 I speak advisedly on this point because, as the ranking cavalry 
 officer in his army when the final terms of capitulation were 
 agreed upon. General Johnston appointed me one of the com 
 missioners to act with Major-General Hartzoff, appointed by 
 General Sherman, to sign the muster rolls of all the Confederate 
 cavalry present, and those rolls must be on file in the war records 
 office in Washington. 
 
 But, Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I find it impossible in the 
 time which I can properly occupy to do full justice to the brilliant 
 military record of General Hampton. This would require a 
 volume. I will, therefore, have to limit myself to a few of the 
 incidents of his career, leaving to his biographer a complete 
 history of his great achievements, both military and civil, when 
 time and opportunity will enable him to do full justice. 
 
 Permit me, in passing, to congratulate you in securing the 
 services of so accomplished an artist and sculptor, for the design 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 561 
 
 and completion of this historic picture, and to congratulate him, 
 Mr. Kuckstuhl, on the taste and ability shown by him in his work. 
 The appearance, the pose, the ornamentation, the artistic pro 
 portions, the likeness, the mounted attitude, are as near perfect as 
 it seems to me human efforts and ingenuity can make them. I 
 find the following inscriptions are engraved on the body of the 
 monument : 
 
 West Side. 
 
 Erected by the State of South Carolina and Her Citizens to 
 Wade Hampton. 
 
 South Side. 
 
 Governor of South Carolina, 1876-1879. United States Senator, 
 
 1879-1891. 
 
 Bentonville, Brandy Station, Sappony Church, Cold Harbor, 
 
 Hawes Shop. 
 
 East Side. 
 Born March 28, 1818. Died April 11, 1902. Erected A. D. 1906. 
 
 North Side. 
 
 Commander of Hampton Legion, C. S. A. 
 Trevillian, Seven Pines, Burgess Mill, First Manassas, 
 
 Gettysburg. 
 
 The names refer to the battles in which General Hampton took 
 a prominent part. 
 
 OTHER GREAT BATTLES. 
 
 These inscriptions are historically correct, but limited in the 
 number of events in which General Hampton bore a conspicuous 
 part. Necessarily, from want of space, they convey a very faint 
 idea of his four years military service. We might appropriately 
 add, without doing violence to the truth of history, Sharpsburg, 
 Barbees Cross Roads, Martinsburg, night attack on Dahlgreen s 
 column near Richmond, McDowell s Farm, where the gallant 
 
562 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 General John Dunovant was killed and his body committed to the 
 care of my gallant courier boy, U. R. Brooks, who frequently 
 acted as one of my staff officers; Armstrong s Mill, Hick s Ford, 
 Reams Station, night attack on Kilpatrick s camp in North 
 Carolina, Fayetteville, N. C. What an array of fierce cavalry 
 conflicts arise in my mind as I attempt to enumerate the few just 
 mentioned. I have been often asked if General Hampton was a 
 good tactician. If, in a minor technical sense, I answer to the 
 best of my judgment, "No," I doubt if he ever read a technical 
 book on tactics. He had no need to. He was himself master of 
 grand tactics. He knew how to maneuver the units of his com 
 mand so as to occupy for offensive or defensive action the 
 strongest points on the battlefield, and that is about all there is in 
 tactics. A successful strategist has a broader field for the employ 
 ment of his military qualities. General Hampton appeared pos 
 sessed of almost an instinctive topographical talent. He could 
 take in the strong strategic points in the field of his operations 
 with an accuracy of judgment that was surprising to his com 
 rades. It was not necessary for him to study Jomine Napoleon s 
 Campaigns, and other high authorities in the art of war. He was 
 a law unto himself on such matters. According to the rules laid 
 down in the books, he would do the most unmilitary things. He 
 would hunt his antagonist as he would hunt big game in the 
 forest. The celerity and audacity of his movements against the 
 front, sometimes on the flank, then again in the rear, kept his 
 enemies in a constant state of uncertainty and anxiety as to w T here 
 and when they might expect him. With his wonderful powers of 
 physical endurance, his alert, vigilant mind, his matchless horse 
 manship, no obstacles seemed to baffle his audacity or thwart his 
 purpose. Again leaving myself out of the question, General 
 Hampton was most fortunate in selecting his lieutenants Rosser 
 and Young, two of his brigade commanders. Young in years, 
 superb in physical and mental equipment, bold, daring, undis 
 mayed by the formidable fighting qualities and forces of their 
 antagonist, they would make a field marshal of any superior 
 officer worthy of that rank as General Hampton was. 
 
 General J. E. B. Stuart, the splendid dashing corps com 
 mander, was killed in the battle at Yellow Tavern on the 12th 
 of Mav, 1864. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 563 
 
 The cavalry corps of the Army of Northern Virginia consisted 
 of three divisions Hampton s, Fitz Lee s and Wm. F. Lee s. 
 General Hampton was the ranking major-general, and was by 
 right of superior rank, long, faithful and brilliant service, to 
 succeed Stuart in command of the corps. From some inexplicable 
 reason, General Lee did not at once assign him to that command, 
 but required each division commander to report directly to army 
 headquarters. And now comes the crucial point in General 
 Hampton s military career. Early in June, 1864, General Grant 
 had put in operation one of those grand combinations by which 
 he hoped to circumvent and finally destroy his alert and great 
 antagonists. Hunter, at the head of a strong column of infantry, 
 was making his way up the Shenandoah valley, with Lynchburg 
 his objective point. Early was sent to Lynchburg to meet him. 
 Sheridan was dispatched with his cavalry and horse artillery 
 from Grant s right towards Gordonsville, en route, as it was 
 supposed, to form a junction with Hunter and approach Rich 
 mond from the rear. Almost simultaneously Wilson was sent 
 from Grant s left with two divisions of cavalry and the usual 
 complement of horse artillery to break General Lee s communi 
 cations in that direction by tearing up the Southside railroad and 
 other sources of supply for the army. 
 
 General Grant was meantime to keep up his hammering process 
 against General Lee s lines with the main body of his army. 
 This was the situation on the 8th of June, 1864, apparently des 
 perate, as it would have been to any other than the marvelous 
 military genius, Robert E. Lee. Let me pause to offer another 
 communication from General Ainsworth, in reply to an inquiry 
 from me as to Sheridan s strength at that time, as follows : 
 
 "War Department, 
 "The Military Secretary s Office. 
 
 "Washington, November 8, 1906. 
 "General M. C. Butler, Woodlawn, S. C. 
 
 "MY DEAR GENERAL : In response to your letter of the 5th inst., 
 in which you ask to be furnished with a statement of the strength 
 of General Sheridan s command at Trevillian Station, Va., Juno 
 11 and 12, 1864. I have the honor to advise as follows : 
 
564 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 "Nothing has been found of record to show the actual strength 
 of the Union forces engaged on the occasion mentioned, but the 
 official reports of General Sheridan and his subordinate com 
 manders, containing detailed accounts of the engagement, are 
 printed in the Official Records of the Union and Confederate 
 Armies, Series 1, Volume XXXVI, Part 1, pp. 787-902. 
 
 "A field return of the Army of the Potomac for June 1, 1864, 
 which appears on page 209, ibid., shows an aggregate present for 
 duty in the cavalry corps commanded by General Sheridan of 
 12,420. As already stated, the number of men carried into action 
 on June 11 and 12, 1864, has not been found of record, nor is there 
 any return of strength on file bearing date between June 1 and 
 June 11, 1864. Very respectfully, 
 
 "F. C. AINSWORTH, 
 "The Military Secretary." 
 
 General Hampton was placed in command of two divisions, his 
 own, consisting of Butler s (the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth South 
 Carolina) cavalry, Rosser s and Young s, the latter commanded 
 by Colonel J. G. Wright, colonel of the Cobb legion, and Fitz, 
 Lee s division, consisted of the brigades of Lomax and Wickham. 
 
 WORK OF THE SCOUTS. 
 
 We could probably have mustered 5,000 men, all told, on the 
 morning of the 8th of June, 1864, w r hen we received orders to have 
 prepared "three days cooked rations" and ready for "extended 
 mounted service." That body of valiant, sleepless, dare-devil 
 cavalry scouts headed by Shadburne, Dick Hogan, Hugh Scott, 
 Wallace Miller, Lieutenant Bob Shiver, Jack Shoolbred, Walker 
 Russell, Phil Hutchinson and others, brought information to 
 headquarters of Sheridan s movements. On the morning of 
 June 9 Hampton s column moved, heading for Gordonsville in 
 following order : Rosser s, Butler s, Young s brigades in front. 
 Fitz Lee with Lomax and Wickham in the rear. On the night 
 of June 10 we bivouacked Hampton s division near Trevillian 
 Station, Fitz Lee s in the neighborhood of Louisa Court House, 
 several miles in the rear. General Hampton s plan was to form 
 a junction with Fitz Lee at Clayton s Store, near the South Anna 
 River. On the morning of the llth of June, our vigilant scouts 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 565 
 
 meantime keeping us informed of Sheridan s movements, it 
 turned out that he was moving in strong column against the posi 
 tion occupied by Butler s brigade. We were up, prepared for 
 mounted action at daylight, in obedience to orders of the day 
 before. About a half hour after sunrise, General Hampton 
 directed me to move in and attack vigorously, informing me that 
 he would hold Young s brigade in reserve for emergencies; that 
 Eosser, as I kneAv, was a short distance to our left on the Gor- 
 donsville road, and Fitz Lee s division would join me on the right. 
 This disposition left a feeling of security to the flanks of the 
 brigade. We were in a thickly wooded country unfit for mounted 
 operations, consequently we dismounted everything except one 
 squadron, and opened the attack on foot with our long range 
 Enfield rifles, and drove the enemy a half mile or more, all the 
 time expecting to hear Lee s guns on our right. Our left flank 
 was about to be turned, when Young s brigade was sent in to 
 reinforce it. For some reason which I have never understood or 
 had explained, Lee s division did not take position, as I was 
 assured it would. The result was Custer, of Sheridan s command, 
 cut around my right, by a blind road which he discovered, got 
 into our rear, and captured some of our led horses and ambu 
 lances. We were still struggling in the woods with Sheridan s 
 main line, when Rosser came thundering down the road, charged 
 Custer, recaptured what he had taken, and captured a number of 
 prisoners, ambulances, horses, etc., from Custer. The day s fight 
 could not have been satisfactory to either side. There appeared 
 to be a want of co-operation on our side which led to confusion. 
 And Sheridan was no doubt surprised at the stubborn resistance 
 he had encountered in the woods from the splendid soldiers 
 behind Enfield rifles. The next Sunday, June 12, General Hamp 
 ton directed me to take command of his division, so that he could 
 devote his undivided attention to both divisions, instructing me 
 to take position on the railroad. Accordingly our line was located 
 on the crest of a hill with gradual slope in front, the line stretch 
 ing to the left, so as to get the advantage of the railroad embank 
 ment, where the line made rather a sharp angle. The Sixth South 
 Carolina Cavalry occupied this angle. A letter from General 
 Hampton to Comrade Calhoun is as follows. This letter, dated 
 July 20, 1902, reads : 
 
566 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 "MY DEAR CALHOUN : It would give me great pleasure to accept 
 your invitation, for I should like to meet my old comrades once 
 more. I remember the heroic manner in which the Sixth regiment 
 held the Bloody Angle at Trevillian, and I should like to thank 
 the survivors as well as all of my old command, but I fear I shall 
 not be able to attend the reunion at Greenwood, for I have been 
 quite unwell for some time past; but should I be unable to greet 
 my old comrades, let them be assured that they are held in affec 
 tionate remembrance and that their services are recalled with 
 pride. With my best wishes for them and yourself, 
 
 "Truly yours, 
 
 "WADE HAMPTOIS. 
 
 "C. M. Calhoun, Greenwood, S. C." 
 
 Sheridan now moved up to atack us about 2 o clock P. M., and 
 from then until dark made seven determined assaults upon our 
 position. He again felt the force of the stubborn gallantry of the 
 men behind the Enfields and about dark began his retreat back to 
 Grant s lines. Lee s division came in late in the afternoon of the 
 12th and took position on our extreme left. 
 
 I fear, my countrymen, I have fatigued you with details, and 
 the reluctant use I have made of the personal pronoun "I," but 
 our relations, military and civil, were so interwoven it has seemed 
 to me almost inevitable. I justify these details as to Trevillian, 
 and yet I have not told the half, for I know you realize with me 
 the vital importance of General Sheridan s defeat there, the vital 
 importance of the defense of Richmond, and, in fact, the security 
 of General Lee s army, that this link in General Grant s combina 
 tion should be broken, the vital importance to General Hampton s 
 military career that he should succeed. He did so with great odds 
 against him, almost three to one, odds commanded and handled 
 by one of the most resourceful and ablest cavalry soldiers in the 
 Federal armies. Thenceforward General Hampton was one of 
 General Lee s most trusted and confidential lieutenants. Tre 
 villian, one of the greatest, most fiercely contested, all-around 
 cavalry battles of the Army of Northern Virginia if not of any 
 army was an object lesson for General Lee in estimating the 
 high military and personal worth of General Hampton. 
 
CHARLEY CALHOUN 
 
568 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 LEE AND HAMPTON ALIKE. 
 
 There were many points of resemblance in the characters of 
 these two great men. Both were superb in their physical pose and 
 development. Both were self-respecting and respectful and 
 gracious in their demeanor towards others. Both had their facul 
 ties under complete control. Both inspired the confidence and 
 affection of their fellow-man. Both were the highest type of gen 
 tlemen, and both will "live in the hearts of their countrymen" as 
 long as great talents and great services to their country and great 
 characters are honored and respected among men. Allow me now 
 to relate an incident at the battle of Burgess Mill which unfolds 
 another quality of General Hampton s character. General Grant, 
 in the latter part of October, 1864, had dispatched the Second 
 Army Corps, as he always did when there was a movement 
 requiring skill and ability, under Hancock, "the Superb," as he 
 was justly styled by all who knew him, to make a bold and deter 
 mined effort to turn General Lee s left. 
 
 The cavalry was guarding the lines along the Rowanty River. 
 When Hancock pushed out in force, our thin lines were with 
 drawn and moved up to Burgess Mill. I took position on the 
 w r est side of an open field ; the left resting at Burgess mill pond. 
 My orders from General Hampton were that when the guns of 
 Wm. H. F. Lee s division w r ere on my right we should move for 
 ward and attack a division of Hancock s infantry on the far side 
 of the field. My temporary headquarters were at the corner of a 
 garden and an orchard. We were dismounted behind such breast 
 works as could be improvised on short notice, and the command 
 "forward" extended all along our line; the gallant boys dashed 
 forward, firing as they advanced, in a heavy, galling fire from the 
 enemy. Shortly afterwards I witnessed a scene that would adorn 
 the canvas of an artist. Some distance to the right I saw Major 
 T. G. Barker, adjutant-general of the division, Lieutenant Pres 
 ton Hampton, aide-de-camp to his father, and Lieutenant O. N. 
 Butler, aide-de-camp to his brother, riding in the line of battle 
 first advanced firing and receiving a terrific fire from the enemy, 
 waving their hats by way of encouragement to the dismounted 
 line. Of course, they had no business in such a perilous position, 
 especially on horseback, but there they were, resolutely and fear- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 569 
 
 lessly taking the chances of life under such hazardous circum 
 stances. The roar of battle made it impossible for them to hear 
 a verbal order. Xat Butler. I presume, feeling some anxiety for 
 his brother, looked back. As I waved my hand to him to return, 
 he galloped around in front of the garden, his horse receiving a 
 shot in the neck. Preston turned to the right to join his father, 
 whose headquarters were a few hundred yards to our right rear. 
 As he turned he shouted, "Hurrah, Nat," the last words that 
 escaped his lips, and was shot in the left groin, from which he 
 died almost instantly. Having fallen from his horse, I noticed 
 a group to our right gathered around some object, and as Major 
 Barker had not returned, feared he had received a wound and 
 was disabled. I turned my horse and met General Hampton near 
 the Burgess dam. I inquired who was wounded. I can never 
 forget his expression of anguish and distress as he drew his hand 
 across his forehead, and replied, "Poor Preston!" "Is he dan 
 gerously wounded?" I inquired. "Yes, mortally." Near where 
 we were talking he noticed a one-horse wagon under a shed. He 
 turned and said, "Butler, I wish you would have that wagon 
 pulled around and have his body moved out of the range of fire." 
 Wiping away the tears of his pathetic affliction, he returned to 
 his post of duty and remained in command until the battle ended 
 at nightfall with Hancock driven back. 
 
 The couriers soon carried out his request. His comrade that 
 day, Nat Butler, survived Preston, having a few months after 
 wards received a w T ound in battle that required the amputation of 
 his arm, a wound from which he never recovered until his death 
 many years ago. Here were two boys not out of their teens 
 handsome, hopeful bearing themselves with a splendid dash and 
 courage worthy of any age of the best soldier as in any army. 
 
 One more incident of that battle I am sure will interest you. 
 The friends and comrades of Major Barker, General Hampton 
 and myself among the number, had decided to have him. 
 appointed brigadier-general, a rank he had so worthily earned 
 by his long, brilliant and faithful service on the staff. Shortly 
 after the tragic scene I have just described, Lieutenant- Colonel 
 Jeffords, of the Fifth South Carolina Cavalry, was brought out 
 by the litter-bearers dead from a mortal wound. This left that 
 gallant regiment without a field officer. Major Barker volun- 
 
570 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 teered to take command of the regiment. Of course, consent was 
 given, and on his way to join the regiment he was shot down in 
 the open field, and, as we feared, mortally wounded, but here he is 
 in our midst to enjoy the respect and admiration of his friends. 
 In my judgment, this wound defeated his deserved promotion. 
 
 Passing from General Hampton s transfer from the Army of 
 Northern Virginia, the latter part of January, 1865, we find him 
 a lieutenant-general, assigned to the command of Wheeler s and 
 Butler s divisions of cavalry, a command which he retained until 
 the surrender. 
 
 There have been so many conflicting, untruthful and imaginary 
 accounts published of Columbia, permit me to give, in as few 
 words as possible, the facts relating to the military evacuation of 
 that doomed city and the part played by General Hampton and 
 the troops under his immediate command. For a time it was 
 undetermined where Sherman would cross the Congaree River, 
 whether lower down at a lower ferry and other crossings, or 
 continue his march on the west side to Columbia. Butler was, 
 therefore, ordered with two brigades of Wheeler s division and a 
 part of his own to make a reconnoissance down the old Charleston 
 road and across Congaree Creek. This movement, after a sharp 
 encounter with the head of Sherman s column some distance 
 below Congaree Creek, developed that he was approaching 
 Columbia on the west side. This was on the 14th of February, 
 1865. The remnants of Hood s army, of which Wheeler s cavalry 
 was a part, had fortified the Lexington hills, and on the informa 
 tion thus obtained moved to the east side of the river across the 
 covered bridge. After the other commands had passed, Butler 
 and the troops under his command crossed the bridge and set fire 
 to it. He was then ordered below Columbia to Granby, and from 
 that position with Wheaton s battery opened fire on Sherman s 
 column and forced it to make a detour to the left through the Lex 
 ington hills. A strong detachment of Sherman s infantry was 
 posted along the west banks of the Congaree and a spirited com 
 bat was kept up for some time between the contending forces, 
 during which the battery suffered rather severely in horses and 
 men. Being without infantry support, the battery was with 
 drawn. These were the only instances, comparatively insignifi 
 cant in themselves, when armed resistance was made to Sherman s 
 approach to Columbia. 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 571 
 
 SHERMAN BURNED COLUMBIA. 
 
 Meantime, that venerable gentleman citizen, Dr. A. D. Good 
 win, as mayor of the city, had a conference with Sherman under a 
 flag of truce. On the assurance from the mayor that there would 
 be no resistance to his crossing the river and entrance into the 
 city, General Sherman assured him there would be no hostile act 
 on his part. On these facts being communicated to General 
 Hampton, he placed me in command of the city, with instructions 
 to see that the mayor s agreement was faithfully and rigidly 
 carried out. I appointed Capt. James P. McFie, a most accom 
 plished, prudent and experienced officer, provost marshal of the 
 town, with full instructions as to the agreement. It requires no 
 assurance on my part that he carried out his instructions with 
 painstaking care and ability. As is usual on such occasions, such 
 of the Confederate stores as could not be removed were destroyed 
 at the old South Carolina Railroad station, a mile, perhaps, from 
 the residence and business portion of the city. During the day 
 and night of the 16th of February, all the troops had left in the 
 direction of Charlotte, N. C., as that was supposed to be Sher 
 man s objective point, except Butler s division. On the night of 
 the 16th. General Hampton had a conference at the house of Gen 
 eral John S. Preston, on Blanding street, at which every pre 
 caution was taken to evacuate the city as quietly as possible. 
 Having been charged with the duty of personally superintending 
 the movement, early on the morning of the 17th, General Hamp 
 ton left with Young s brigade of my division on the Winnsboro 
 road. With the other brigade I passed up Sumter street from 
 near the State House into Main street, and was posted at the crest 
 of the street where the United States Court House now stands, 
 and from that point witnessed Sherman s troops deploying 
 through Cotton Town (having crossed the river in flat boats 
 above) moving down Main street. In Sumter street a large 
 quantity of cotton was piled in bales in the middle of the street 
 for several blocks towards Blanding. This cotton was left intact 
 by the Confederates. After waiting until after Sherman s 
 advance had approached within a few hundred yards of where I 
 was seated on horseback, we moved slowly down Laurel street 
 towards the Charlotte depot. Not a shot was fired. Reaching 
 
572 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 the Charlotte depot we moved out into Taylor s lane. There I 
 faced the column about and at the point where the railroad crosses 
 Plain street remained perhaps an hour and witnessed from that 
 point, and a point somewhat in advance o? it, the party with 
 United States flag hurry down Main street to the State House. 
 Thence we moved out leisurely by Dent s Mill, through the pine 
 w r oods to Killians, where we bivouacked the night of the 17th. 
 As I have stated, General Hampton had left the city at least three 
 hours before the rear guard left. No cotton was burning at that 
 hour ; in fact, no fire was set except as I have stated, at the South 
 Carolina Railroad depot, and in that case it was applied to the 
 Confederate stores, so anxious were we not to commit any act 
 that might be an excuse for retribution. I rode with the rear 
 guard of the brigade and personally saw to it that nothing was 
 done of a hostile character. And yet General Sherman felt justi 
 fied afterwards in saying that General Hampton foolishly set fire 
 to his own city. Nothing was further from the truth. It was 
 reported that General Sherman admitted it was not true, and that 
 he had made the charge to discredit General Hampton with his 
 own people. How little General Sherman understood the char 
 acter of General Hampton s "people," and how unfortunate for 
 General Sherman that he should resort to falsehood to impair the 
 reputation and character of an honorable antagonist. We could 
 have assembled at or near Columbia or above between 30,000 and 
 40,000 veteran soldiers, early in February, 1865. Hardee, with 
 14,000, estimated, in Charleston, Bragg, with 10,000 in North 
 Carolina, the remnant of Hood s army, including Wheeler s 
 division of cavalry, and Butler s division. If they had been thus 
 concentrated and Hampton placed in command, my firm convic 
 tion is that Sherman would have had to contest every inch of his 
 ground at the point of the bayonet in his march from the sea. 
 As he had to "live on the country," destroying what he could not 
 consume, he would have been compelled to retrace his steps to the 
 sea, and a large scope of country in the Carolinas devastated by 
 his army, leaving in its wake houseless chimneys, starving women 
 and children, might have been spared. I know how easy it is to 
 criticise and I express this opinion without intending reproach to 
 any one, because it is possible that we Avere wanting in supplies 
 to maintain such an army at such a time, and, therefore, the con- 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 573 
 
 centration was not made until at Bentonville, when it was too late 
 to expect satisfactory results. And it may be unprofitable to 
 revert to it now except to show my appreciation of General 
 Hampton s military abilities. 
 
 The Duke of Alva was a military vandal of the fifteenth cen 
 tury. In his "Rise of the Dutch Republic," Motley says of him, 
 "Such an amount of stealth and ferocity of patient vindictiveness 
 and universal blood-thirstiness has never been found in a savage 
 beast of the forest and but rarely in a human being." 
 
 History sometimes repeats itself. General Hampton w^as as 
 incapable of an act of vandalism, cruelty or oppression as he was 
 of falsehood, cowardice or revenge. He did not make war a hell, 
 and his chivalric nature w T ould have revolted at cruelty to the 
 innocent and helpless as he would to turn his back on an enemy 
 with arms in his hands. 
 
 The Duke of Alva has come down through five centuries hissed 
 at in history for his bloody atrocities, and scorned at as relent 
 lessly today as during his disgraceful, unsoldierly career. Gen 
 eral Hampton will live through the centuries to come and be 
 revered to the last for his humanity in war and his exalted char 
 acter in peace. AVith the long list of South Carolina s eminent 
 men, it is worthy of note, in passing, that this is the first time the 
 Legislature of the State has appropriated money out of the 
 treasury to be supplemented by contributions from the public to 
 erect a monument to one of them an appropriation graciously 
 and properly made with the private contributions. 
 
 In my judgment, the Legislature would be justified in taking 
 another step and provide by appropriation a monument to the 
 immortal Calhoun in the "Hall of Fame" in the national capitol, 
 as representing the highest and best type of American statesman 
 ship, and another for Hampton in the same hall, as illustrating 
 the highest and best type of military greatness. In doing this, I 
 believe the representatives of the people would deserve and receive 
 their approval. 
 
 I fear, my countrymen, I have already trespassed too long on 
 your time and patience. Allow me to conclude by reading to you 
 an extract from the proceedings of the nominating convention of 
 July 12, 18T6. The convention then went into secret session. 
 
574 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 That session lasted from 11:30 in the morning till 6:30 in the 
 evening, with a recess of about half an hour for dinner. 
 
 At the close of the discussion the doors were thrown open and 
 it was announced that the following had been adopted by a vote 
 of 82 to 65 : 
 
 "Resolved, That this convention do now proceed to nominate 
 candidates for Governor and other State officers." 
 
 HAMPTON, THE STATESMAN. 
 
 General Butler nominated General Wade Hampton for Gov 
 ernor. Mr. Robert Aldrich seconded the nomination. General 
 Hampton ascended the speaker s stand and said: 
 
 "Mr. President and Gentlemen: I need not tell you that the 
 words of kindly allusion to myself which I have heard spoken 
 have deeply touched my heart. But I desire to say a few words 
 in personal explanation. I have all along refrained from express 
 ing my opinion in one way or another, except when called upon 
 to do so as a delegate. I have not tried to influence this conven 
 tion in word or deed. I came here only to pour oil on the troubled 
 waters if necessary, and to promote unity and harmony, if I could. 
 In the card I published in the Columbia Register, the other day, I 
 expressed my opinions fully and earnestly. When the war was 
 raging I was asked to come here and allow my name to be used 
 as a candidate for Governor, but I preferred to stay where I 
 thought I could do the most good for m}^ State and my country ; 
 and since the war I have never offered one word of advice unless 
 it was asked of me. I felt that my day was passed, and that in 
 returning to my native State I was like him who said: An old 
 man whose heart is broken is come to lay his weary bones among 
 you. Give me a little earth for charity. I have claimed nothing 
 from South Carolina but a grave in yonder churchyard. But I 
 have always said that if I could ever serve her by word or deed, 
 her men had only to call me and I would devote all my time, my 
 energy and my life to her service. 
 
 "I will now be perfectly unreserved with you on another point. 
 Men whose patriotism is beyond question and in whose wisdom I 
 have great confidence, think that my nomination would injure 
 the Democratic party of the United States. If it were left with 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 575 
 
 me to decide between that party and the interests of South Caro 
 lina, I would not hesitate in my choice. But I believe the success 
 of the Democratic party of the United States will bring success 
 to South Carolina, and that if Tilden is elected we can call South 
 Carolina our own. Now, I do not wish to embarrass the gentle 
 men of the convention, nor to jeopardize the general Democratic 
 party. I would, indeed, gladly decline the nomination. Besides 
 this, there are men in South Carolina who think I possess a dis 
 qualification of which I cannot divest myself, and would not if I 
 could. I mean what they call my war record. That is the record 
 of 50,000 South Carolina soldiers, and if I am to forfeit that and 
 say that I am ashamed to have been one of them, all the offices in 
 the world might perish before I would accept them. 
 
 "These are grave topics, gentlemen, and I implore you to look 
 over the whole field and not let any kindness for me lead you 
 astray. I will now retire, so that you may discuss them freely. 
 If you decide to nominate some other as true and sincere as I, 
 and I know there are thousands of them, I will devote myself to 
 secure his election. Come weal or come woe, I am with you to 
 the last." 
 
 The following were then chosen by acclamation : 
 
 For Secretary of State R. M. Sims, of York. 
 
 For Attorney-General James Conner, of Charleston. 
 
 For Superintendent of Education Hugh S. Thompson, of 
 Bichland. 
 
 For Comptroller-General General Johnson Hagood, of Barn- 
 well. 
 
 For Treasurer S. L. Leaphart, of Richland. 
 
 For Adjutant-General E. W. Moise, of Sumter. 
 
 Of all who entered the State House with General Hampton on 
 April llth, 1877, only three survive, General Hampton s orderly 
 in war and trusted private secretary in 76-79, Colonel Wade H. 
 Manning; Mr. McBride C. Robertson, clerk to Secretary of State 
 R. M. Sims, and the venerable Mr. J. I. Laval, of the State Treas 
 urer s office. 
 
 At 3 o clock P. M. on the 14th of December, 1876, the Speaker 
 of the House and its officers with the Senators present, proceeded 
 to the platform in front of Carolina Hall, in the city of Columbia, 
 when Wade Hampton, the Governor-elect, delivered the address 
 
 37 B. C. 
 
576 BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 
 
 and the constitutional oath of office was administered by the Hon. 
 Thos. J. Mackey, one of the Judges of the State of South Caro 
 lina, and J. Q. Marshall, Esq., to Wade Hampton, Esq., as Gov 
 ernor of the State of South Carolina, and W* D. Simpson, Esq., 
 as Lieutenant-Governor of the State of South Carolina. 
 
 This is what may be properly termed as the beginning of Gen 
 eral Hampton s great civic career. That career is too familiar 
 to you all to require any detailed reference on my part, if time 
 and my strength and my powers permitted. His speech of accept 
 ance of the nomination for the high office of Governor contains 
 sentiments and pledges which he need not have made, we all 
 know how faithfully, courageously and ably he fulfilled them. 
 
 A word to the young men of the present and future genera 
 tions: If you will read the military orders, letters, messages as 
 Governor, speeches to the people, and in the United States Senate 
 of General Hampton, you will find them filled with exalted senti 
 ments couched in expression singularly replete with simple and 
 classic language, and adorned with unerring judgment. 
 
 Speaking for myself, having passed the limit in human life of 
 three score years and ten, and for these sturdy veterans, lingering 
 in the lap of time after duty to country, and I trust duty to God, 
 well performed, we can ask no higher place in the hearts of our 
 countrymen than to be remembered as the comrades in war and 
 associates in peace of Wade Hampton, the honored and revered 
 soldier and statesman of our times. 
 
AMERICAN HEROISM. 
 
 605 
 
 SOME CONFEDERATE SCOUTS THE DUTIES OF THE ARMY SCOUT THE LIFE OF THE WOODS AND 
 FIELDS A MEETING ON PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE A SCOUT WHO Is Now A CLERGY 
 MAN A COUNTRY WOMAN IN THE UNION CAMP THE EARLY DAYS 
 OF THE HELIOSTAT STEALING THE CODE THE 
 EAID AFTER BEEF. 
 
 By GENERAL WADE HAMPTON, C. S. A. 
 
 IT is difficult, without seeming invidious, to give special instances of 
 bravery among the Confederate soldiers where courage was the almost 
 universal rule and where such a thing as cowardice was rarely, if ever, 
 known. A roll of honor, if properly made out, would embrace the 
 name of nearly every true man who fought under the starry cross; but doubt 
 less every officer could give many instances of distin 
 guished gallantry and conduct, such as would have 
 won for the hero of it the baton of field marshal, had 
 his brave deeds been performed under the eye of 
 Napoleon. It was unfortunate that our chiefs did 
 not possess the power to promote to any grade a 
 man from the ranks for acts of exceptional bravery 
 and good conduct West Point and red tape did not 
 permit this. There was many an able and gallant 
 private in the ranks who could have exchanged 
 places with his officers to the great advantage 
 of the service, and a poor, incompetent 
 officer might have made a very good pri 
 vate. But the discussion of these questions 
 is not germane to the matter my opinion was 
 asked on, whether I knew of any men whose 
 names were worthy to be placed on the Con 
 federate Roll of Honor. 
 
 In the Official reports Of Our officers, many GENERAL WADE HAMPTON. 
 
 men, both subordinate officers and privates, received high and deserved com 
 mendation for gallant services, and doubtless the names of many of these 
 are on that honorable roll, but there was one class of our men, whose services, 
 though of vital importance to the army, have had no official recognition, or 
 
606 THE STORY OF 
 
 certainly none such as they deserve, and these were our scouts. Every com 
 manding officer had a body of picked men for this important and perilous 
 service. Most of their time was spent within the lines of the enemy, they 
 carried their lives in their hands, they often had desperate encounters with 
 the enemy, and on their reports the movements o*f the army depended in a 
 great measure. It is of these men I propose to speak, and their services will 
 be better understood and appreciated by my citing exploits of some of them. 
 
 As my service was in the Army of Northern Virginia during the war, J 
 can speak only of the scouts of that army, though throughout the entire 
 service there were men detailed for this important duty who were quite as 
 competent and worthy as their fellow soldiers in any other command. But 
 as I wish to speak from personal knowledge, i prefer to choose as my subject 
 the scouts of the cavalry corps of the Army of Northern Virginia, for with 
 their services and deeds I am perfectly familiar. I shall therefore tell of 
 their organization, the manner of their selection, and the duties they were 
 required to perform. Then, as illustrative of the work they did, I shall give 
 instances of the high courage, the valuable services and the unflagging 
 devotion displayed by them in cases which fell under my own observation, 
 
 As the duties of these men were dangerous, arduous and delicate, it was 
 of the last consequence to select such as were of unquestioned courage, 
 of intelligence, of coolness and of discretion. When a sufficient number 
 were selected, they were generally placed under the command of one of their 
 party and they were required to ascertain by all means possible the forces of 
 the enemy, the disposition of their forces, their movements, and all infor 
 mation which would be of value to our commanders. The cavalry in our 
 army, as in all others, always held the outposts; they were "the eyes and the 
 ears" of the army; they watched and guarded the infantry while the latter 
 slept, and their duties were unceasing. They held the picket lines, and it was 
 for them to guard against any surprise, to keep the general posted of all the 
 movements of the enemy, and to defend their positions by all possible means. 
 
 While the cavalry had their responsible duties to perform, those of the 
 scouts were even more responsible and more dangerous, for these men were 
 constantly exposed to danger, while they had to brave all kinds of weather, 
 sleeping, as they did, in the woods, the sky their only covering, save an 
 overcoat or perhaps a scanty blanket; and they had to be on the watch 
 every minute to guard against surprise. Their work was performed chiefly 
 through the night, so that little rest was allowed them, and whilst seeking 
 that rest they were often called on to defend themselves from capture or 
 death. When they were ordered on duty, a squad, perhaps, of ten or 
 fifteen generally, would go out, though on some occasions when secret 
 particular service was required, only one man would be detailed for such 
 
AMERICAN HEROISM. 609 
 
 duty. In cases of this character the work demanded of the man chosen was 
 the most important and the most perilous a soldier could be called on to 
 discharge, for he would have to act as scout and as spy, and he knew full well 
 that if he were captured a short shrift and a halter would be his fate. A 
 scout was not necessarily a spy, nor a spy always a scout, and while in civil 
 life a spy is deservedly regarded with contempt and aversion, in military 
 affairs the services of such men are recognized as absolutely necessary and 
 the dangers they incur render their work legitimate and honorable. The 
 adventures some of these men met with in the prosecution of their work 
 were so marvelous that they seem incredible, but every old soldier can certify 
 to their truthfulness, and in the following sketch of the services of the scouts 
 of the cavalry corps, I shall begin by narrating what was done by some of 
 these men whose work was done under my own eye. By doing this my 
 narrative, though it may not be a connected relation, will, by a series of 
 hort sketches of individual scouts, give a better comprehension of the 
 haracter of these men and of the work they did. Some of the men referred 
 o are dead, but a few are still living, scattered over the whole country from 
 Maryland to California. 
 
 The subject of -my first sketch was a man from Texas, who was associated 
 ith me during the war, and who was one of the most daring and most suc- 
 essf ul scouts in the army, as an account of some of his numerous adventures 
 ill show. On one occasion when he was in the lines of the enemy alone, he 
 aptured a Federal captain, who was sent to prison and subsequently 
 xchanged. About this time his captor w^as in Washington, staying at one 
 f the hotels on Pennsylvania Avenue, and as he was walking up the street 
 ne day he met his former prisoner, who recognized him at once. The cap- 
 in asked him what he was doing there, and the scout replied promptly that 
 the Confederacy had gone to the devil and he was getting as far north as 
 possible. He then invited the captain to go up to his room to take a gla s 
 of brandy, and after several glasses, both went out and separated. The scout, 
 when he reported to me, said that he thought it best then to get across the 
 otomac, and he did so at once. 
 
 On another occasion, he was arrested in Baltimore and sent under guard 
 o Washington. Within ten miles of the city, he jumped off the train, 
 walked to the city, secured the information he sought and returned safely 
 our lines. 
 
 When some naval expedition was being fitted out in Philadelphia, he 
 vent there, engaged as one of the workmen, and when he had ascertained 
 lie object of the expedition, he returned to report it to headquarters. 
 
 Associated with this man were five or six other scouts, all thoroughly 
 /eliable men, and they often encountered and fought against large odds while 
 
 i 
 
610 
 
 THE STORY OF 
 
 in the performance of their duty, but it is impossible within the scope of thi 
 article to give the details of their admirable conduct, so I have chosen one c 
 them, because he was so frequently detailed on service where he had to ac 
 as scout and spy. He passed through the war safely but died subsequent! 
 in Texas. Doubtless, many of his Texan fellow soldiers remember him, an 
 they would identify him at once should this sketch of him fall into thei 
 hands. There were so many of our scouts whose career was similar to his 
 that it is difficult to select proper subjects for this disjointed narrative with 
 out stretching it to too great a length, so I shall mention only a few wh 
 won and deserved a very high reputation. 
 
 Amongst them was one whose wiiole career in the army was full 
 thrilling adventures, hair-breadth escapes from danger, and daring deeds. 1 
 
 volume would be required t 
 record all of them, but som 
 incidents of his army life wi 
 show the character of the ma 
 and of his work. After th 
 war he enlisted under the ban 
 ner of the Cross and he is n 
 an earnest, devoted Episcopa 
 clergyman, striving as zea 
 ously now to save men, as h 
 once did to dispose of them i 
 another and more summar 
 manner. He generally wen 
 on his expeditions alone, 
 with but one comrade, for hi 
 duty as a general rule was t 
 obtain information of the ene 
 
 THE SCOUT IN THE UNION CAMP. my> an( J no danger, no risk 
 
 ever deterred him from the accomplishment of his object. Once, when oul 
 with but one companion, near the lines of the enemy, they laid down at nighl 
 in the woods with a blanket over them. The man of whom I am speaking was 
 aroused by a pull of the blanket and a voice exclaiming, " Get up, Johnny 
 Rebs, we have got you." He pulled the blanket up over his head, nudged his 
 companion in an effort to w T ake him, and drew his pistol just as the blanket was 
 jerked off of them. There were three Federal soldiers standing over them, and 
 one had his rifle with the bayonet pointing at the sleeping man. The instani 
 the blanket was withdrawn, the scout shot the man who held the rifle, and as 
 he fell his bayonet passed through the heart of the other scout, while two quick 
 shots from the revolver of the living man killed both of the other Federals, 
 
AMERICAN HEROISM. 611 
 
 On another occasion, he dressed as an old countrywoman, procured 
 n old cart and sold vegetables for three days in the midst of, and to the 
 ederal army, and came away bringing, besides valuable information, the 
 leadquarter s flag of the general commanding. 
 
 Many more interesting incidents could be cited of him, but the foregoing 
 ire sufficient to show how daring and skillful he was, and it is only necessary 
 
 say, in order to prove how high his reputation was, that he possessed the 
 ull confidence of General Lee, who constantly entrusted to him the most 
 ielicate and important duties. 
 
 There was another man whose career was as remarkable as that of any 
 ne in the army, to whose intelligence, skill and courage our commanding 
 generals were greatly indebted, for he constantly secured important informa- 
 ion by the most extraordinary means. He came to Washington often and 
 istablished there a system of signals, to be transmitted by means of looking- 
 glasses, and these signals, flashed from a house in the city, were repeated to 
 mr lines in Virginia. I saw him cross the Potomac one night alone between 
 he gunboats in a frail canoe, and on that occasion he went to Washington 
 md returned with important information. He accompanied General Beau- 
 egard to Charleston, S. C., when the latter took command there, and while 
 n that city he died. During his service there, an assault was made on Fort 
 5umter, but was repulsed with loss to the enemy and among the prisoners 
 aken was a lieutenant of the navy. He was put in prison, and the scout, 
 utting on a Federal uniform, had himself confined with him, and being 
 amiliar with many of our signals, he discussed the manner of using signals 
 
 1 warfare. By these means, he acquired the knowledge of those in use 
 y the Federal Navy, and General Beauregard was afterwards enabled to 
 nderstand the orders for all movements contemplated by the officers of 
 he Federal fleet. 
 
 This detective work has an unpleasant sound to civilian ears, but the old 
 naxim that " all is fair in love and war," still holds good, and spies are neces- 
 ary in war as they are sometimes in peace. I have taken the men here 
 poken of as types of those scouts, who generally were called on to act singly, 
 nd while there were many others worthy of mention, the examples given 
 re sufficient to show r what nerve, coolness, vigilance and courage were 
 equisite to fit a man for this duty. 
 
 Having given some instances of the acts of individual skill and bravery 
 n the part of a few of our scouts, I shall show now, by a narration of their 
 xploits when a number of them acted together, how often they had to face 
 Luminent danger, and how they were frequently compelled to fight desper- 
 tely in order to save themselves. Not only did this happen often, but on 
 onie occasions they performed brilliant exploits, such as not only proved 
 
 A. H. 35 
 
612 THE STORY OF 
 
 them to be brave and gallant soldiers, but fit, many of them, to command 
 instead of occupying subordinate positions, as they did. The responsibilit 
 imposed on them was heavy, and the only reward they could look for wer 
 the commendations of their officers, together with the consciousness of dut 
 performed. * 
 
 Amongst my scouts was one from Louisiana, and he is now a successf u 
 and popular lawyer in California, to which State he went after the war. Hi 
 was engaged in so many scouting expeditions, and encountered so mair 
 perils, that it is difficult to select any for illustration when nearly all were f ul 
 of interest. But a few instances of the manner in which his duty was per 
 formed will prove how worthy he was of the trust and confidence reposed ii 
 him. He was one of the sergeants of my scouts, and while he often acte( 
 alone, he generally had with him the men, or a number of them, who wer< 
 detailed to serve with him. In September, 1864, he reported to me that ther< 
 was a large herd of cattle near City Point, below Petersburg, and he tolc 
 me how they were guarded. His report in this case deserves mention or 
 account of the accuracy of the information he had acquired, as well a* 
 the military acumen it displayed. Written as it was in the lines of the 
 enemy, it was certainly a remarkable production, and the suggestions ii 
 contained proved that he was a soldier of high ability. In the expeditior 
 made in pursuance of the information received, he acted as guide and dis 
 tinguished himself with conspicuous gallantry in the fight we had with the 
 enemy. 
 
 We moved out on Wednesday, and at daylight on Friday we struct 
 the enemy, who made a stubborn resistance, inflicting quite a heavy loss on 
 us, but we carried their camp, and after some trouble, " rounded up" the 
 cattle, which had been stampeded and were rushing wildly toward City Point. 
 All except one two thousand four hundred and eighty-six were carried 
 off safely, though we had to fight our way across the Jerusalem plank road, 
 where a division of cavalry endeavored to cut us off. The scout, who made 
 the report, met us on our march, guided us to the proper point for the attack, 
 and went in bravely with the attacking force. The success we gained was 
 mainly owing to him, for he reported the presence of the cattle, and gave so 
 minute and accurate an account of the position of the enemy, that our attack 
 was a surprise and a complete success. The account of the expedition is 
 given to show how greatly we depended on our scouts for reliable informa 
 tion, and to prove how intelligent many of these men were. While it was 
 of course necessary that they should be courageous, it was equally so that 
 they should be of good judgment and competent to advise their officers, not 
 only of the position of the enemy, but of the advisability of movements on 
 our part. 
 
AMERICAN HEROISM. 613 
 
 One incident which occurred on this occasion touched me deeply. One 
 " my best and favorite scouts was severely wounded in our first attack on the 
 lemy, and I had sent him in an ambulance to a house in our rear. There I 
 lied to see him as we were returning, and I found him lying on a mattress 
 iffering great pain. Taking his hand, I expressed my regret that he was 
 ounded, and said that I hoped he would soon recover. Holding my hand, 
 ioking up calmly, and without a tremor in his voice, he replied, " No, 
 sneral, I am mortally wounded, and I shall never see you again, but I die 
 srfectly happy, fighting for my country and fighting under you." That 
 an s name was worthy to be placed on any roll of honor, where unflinching 
 mrage and loyal devotion to duty are the requirements for enrollment. 
 3sides the loss of this brave man, three others of my scouts were wounded, 
 i us showing that in a fight they were always in the front, for they were men 
 ho never shirked any duty of a soldier. 
 
 There was one other exploit of the scout whose report has been quoted 
 hich is worthy of mention, and before turning to another, and the last of 
 y scouts to whom reference shall be made, I give briefly an account of 
 iat. He and another scout seeing a Federal steamer at Fredericksburg, 
 id thinking it had come under a flag of truce, entered the town and were 
 iptured. They were put in irons, taken to Fortress Monroe, and there 
 ansferred to a gunboat which ran up the James River to the vicinity of 
 .ty Point. Slipping their handcuffs, they dropped overboard on a dark 
 ght and reached the south bank of the river. There they found a few men 
 i signal duty and a small number detailed to do some work. Near by was 
 Drt Powhatan, for which a company of colored cavalry made daily 
 connoissances, and the scout organized a small party, ambushed this 
 mpany, killed many of them, supplied themselves with arms and horses, 
 id joined me in North Carolina, where I was serving with General 
 hnston. 
 
 Before speaking of the last of my scouts, to whom allusion was made 
 
 K>ve, let me tell of an incident which befell one of them, which, though not 
 
 OJC, had a very humorous phase. While stationed at Culpeper in 
 
 rginia, I directed this man to go out early the next morning down our 
 
 le of the river, and to capture a prisoner, as I wished to obtain some 
 
 formation. The next night he reported to me, and when asked if he had 
 
 cured his man, he replied in the negative. He said that he saw a major 
 
 liking down the opposite bank of the stream, and covering him with his 
 
 in he ordered him to surrender. This the major did, but when called on 
 
 cross the river, he protested that he could not swim. The scout said that 
 
 at made no difference, and that he would have to take water or be shot. 
 
 ^hereupon the so-called prisoner approached toward the river, and passing 
 
614 THE STORY OF 
 
 a large stump he jumped behind it and sat down. Provoked at what he 
 regarded as an act of treachery, the scout sat down, watching for a chance t( 
 shoot his friend on the other side of the river, and thus they remainec 
 until dark, when the major slipped off unseen, and the scout returned 
 thoroughly disgusted with his still hunt. 
 
 I shall cite but one more instance of the good work done by our scouts 
 and as this, taken as a whole, was one of the most brilliant achievement; 
 which fell under my notice during the war, it will make a fitting close t< 
 this article, which, I fear, is already too prolix. While the cavalry was at 5 
 point about ten miles from Goldsboro, in North Carolina, Sherman occupie< 
 that town. Learning where his headquarters were, I called up this scout 
 and told him that I wished him to go on an expedition which was full o 
 peril. We were between two rivers, the Neuse on the south and Little Rive: 
 on the north, and after showing him the position of the house in whicl 
 Sherman was, I told him that he must swim the river on our right flank 
 cross the Charleston and Wilmington Railroad, where he would find a portioi 
 of the cavalry of the enemy, to break through there and to recross the rive: 
 below Goldsboro. There he was to dash into the town, and endeavor t| 
 capture Sherman. He expressed his readiness to undertake the work, an< 
 when asked how many men he required, he said thirty. I gave orders foj 
 him to select his men and to move at once. He took thirty-three men 
 fifteen armed with carbines and pistols, and the others only with the latte^ 
 and they moved off immediately. The next day Sherman left Goldsboro 
 moving up towards Smithfield, and I felt great anxiety as to the fate of 1113 
 scouts, for rumors of their capture and death reached us. I could learj 
 nothing of them for many days, but having been called by President Davil 
 to Charlotte, after the surrender of General Lee, I met my scout there, an< 
 to my question why he came, he replied that he had heard that Johnston ! 
 army was to be surrendered, and as he did not intend to surrender, he hat 
 come in to learn the facts. He then gave an account of his expedition, anj 
 subsequently sent in a written report of it. I regret not having this papej 
 here, so only some of the salient points of it can be given from memory. Hi 
 commenced his verbal account by saying, that as I was aware Sherman lef 
 Goldsboro the day after the scouting party crossed the Neuse River, and tha 
 of course he did not attempt to go to Goldsboro. He struck the Federa 
 Cavalry near the railroad, and after a sharp skirmish passed through thei: 
 lines, when he fell in with a herd of cattle and sheep guarded by cavalrji 
 He dispersed the latter, captured the stock and sent them off under guard oj 
 three men. Finding that he was pursued, he stationed his fifteen riflemei 
 behind a fence, holding the remaining men mounted. The Federals charged 
 were received by a volley from the dismounted men, which threw them into 
 
AMERICAN HEROISM. 615 
 
 confusion, and they were in turn charged by the whole force of scouts. In 
 this charge and pursuit, upwards of thirty Federals were killed or wounded, 
 and the captured stock was brought off safely. Our party had various other 
 skirmishes, capturing a large number of prisoners, but mention shall be 
 iiade only of their last achievement, which I regard as very brilliant. One 
 vening about dusk, while moving on a blind by-road, they debouched on a 
 lain thoroughfare, upon which the enemy were moving. They struck this 
 little in advance of a train of wagons, loaded w^ith commissary stores, and 
 he wagon-master was riding some distance in front, looking for a place to 
 amp. The leader of the scouts rode up, captured him, changed horses with 
 im, and dashing towards the train he shouted out to follow him quickly 
 or the Rebels held the road beyond them. The train moved up rapidly, and 
 ne hundred and ten wagons were turned into the by-road, and pushed for 
 ward as fast as they could move. The road was rough and narrow, and the 
 venteenth wagon from the front broke down, and as there was no mode of 
 etting those in the rear past it, they were all burned ; but all the teams and 
 ixteen wagons were brought off safely. 
 
 In this expedition, in addition to what has been stated as to the opera- 
 ions of these scouts, they reported nearly one hundred of the enemy killed, 
 our hundred prisoners captured and paroled, and this work was done without 
 loss of a single man in their party. The gallant man who led this expe- 
 ition met a tragic end, for he went to take part in the last revolution in 
 uba, and his leg having been broken in a fight there, when he refused to 
 urrender he was killed. 
 
 I have not given the names of the men referred to in this paper, because 
 ome of them are living, and my only object in writing the article is to do 
 ustice, in part at least, to a class of men whose services, important and gal- 
 ant as they were, have received little, if any, official recognition. Of course, 
 lere were hundreds of other scouts besides those mentioned who deserve 
 ae praise given to the few I have recalled, and there were many cases of 
 eroic conduct which could be specified, but to do so would be to tax the 
 atience of my readers to too great an extent. 
 
616 THE STORY OF 
 
 CHAPTER LXVIII. 
 
 AFTER FIVE FORKS -THE FINAL ASSAULTS ON PETERSBURG GEORGE W POTTER IST R I T 
 ARTILLERY -CHARGING THE WORKS WITHOUT ARMS - R. J. GARDNER 34 TH MASSACHUSETTS 
 
 THE CAPTURE OF FORTS GREGG AND WHITWORTH A O APPLE 12rn 
 
 WEST VIRGINIA INFANTRY GENERAL LEE S RETREAT, AND THE MOVEMENTS 
 
 WHICH LED TO THE LAST BATTLE J. K. PIERSOL 13TH OHIO CAVALRY 
 
 HARD SERVICE BY A REGIMENT NOT MOUNTED UNTIL THE 
 
 END OF 1864 -IRA H. EVANS lOrn VERMONT INFANTRY 
 
 9TH U. S. C. T. INTERVIEWING DESERTERS. 
 
 GEORGE W. POTTER was born in Coventry, R. L, in 1843 He en 
 listed February 26, 1862, at Westerly, R. I., as private in Compaq 
 G, 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery, and reenlisted at Brand} 
 Station, Va., during the winter of 1863 and 1864, in the saim 
 organization. 
 
 Writing from Providence, R. I., Mr. Potter says: 
 
 I served with my company through all the campaigns of the Army of the 
 Potomac up to and including the assault on Petersburg, where I was shot in 
 the left temple, and the sight of my left eye virtually destroyed. 
 
 On the evening of April 1, 1865, about twenty of us volunteered to g( 
 under the leadership of our company commander, George W. Adams, wit! 
 the charging column on the following morning. 
 
 Just before daylight we fornled with our detachment in the front line 
 and, at the booming of the signal gun, started. 
 
 We were successful, and on reaching the line of works our little squad 
 took charge of the guns. We had brought with us lanyards, sponge-staffs, 
 and such other tools as we thought might be necessary. It was a grand un 
 dertaking, well executed, and many of the enemy bit the dust through shot* 
 from their own guns. Captain Adams of Company G, who led us, received a 
 brevet-major s commission for his share in the work. I was shot down in 
 the charge, and still suffer from the wound, but I have a medal of honor toj 
 show what my portion was in that day s work. The inscription on it is asj 
 follows: 
 
 The Congress to George W. Potter, Battery G, 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery. " 
 
 
BUTLER AND His CAVALRY, 1861-1865. 57 
 
 TO THE DEPARTING CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS 
 
 BY SMITH JOHNSON, TYLER, TEXAS. 
 
 One by one they pass away, 
 
 Cross the river one by one ; 
 And the shadows of to-day 
 
 Darken the departing sun. 
 Tis a hero falling, seeking 
 
 In eternity sweet rest, 
 While his country s tears are reeking 
 
 Sorrow s passion rends the breast 
 Of the chivalry and beauty 
 
 South of Dixie s magic line. 
 
 One by one the ranks are thinning, 
 
 And a comrade falls to sleep. 
 Death invades our sanctum, winning 
 
 Jewels rare we fain would keep ; 
 Jewels from the Southern cross, 
 
 Tried by fires of deadly war, 
 Who shall recompense our loss? 
 
 Will their spirits from afar 
 Whisper us some consolation, 
 
 Minister at freedom s shrine ? 
 
 THE END 
 
INDEX AS TO TITLES 
 
 The Jacket of Gray, 3. 
 
 Preface, 5. 
 
 To the Memory of Whitfield B. 
 
 Brooks, 7. 
 Introduction, 9. 
 Survivors of Butler s Brigade Form 
 
 Organization, 13. 
 Butler s Cavalry, 17. 
 The War Horse Sniffs the Battie 
 
 Afar Off, 19. 
 General Butler s Last War Horse. 
 
 21. 
 
 General William Butler, 26. 
 Matthew Calbraith Butler, 51. 
 Edgefield Hussars, 62. 
 The War Record of Two Brave 
 
 Confederates, a Captain and a 
 
 Private, and a Colloquy Between 
 
 a Major and a Sergeant, 63. 
 General Butler s Narrative, 70. 
 Butler at Chambersburg, Pa., 80. 
 Dumfries Raid, No. 1, 85. 
 Dumfries Raid, No. 2, 87. 
 The Story of a Scout Told in His 
 
 Own Way, 96. 
 Who Started the War? 114. 
 The Capture of a Gunboat in Edisto 
 
 River, 114. 
 The Story of One of Butler s Scouts 
 
 in Fort Delaware, 123. 
 The Murder of Billy Dulin, 129. 
 Jack Shoolbred Sells a Yankee 
 
 "Nigger," 130. 
 
 Battle of Brandy Station, Va., 132. 
 Beautiful Tribute to the Private 
 
 Soldier, 134. 
 The Iron Scouts, 138. 
 Capture of General Neal Dow, 114. 
 Battle of Brandy Station Graphic- 
 Description by Gen. M. C. Butler. 
 
 etc., 149. 
 Colonel Thomas J. Limpscomb, 160. 
 
 Butler s Cavalry at Brandy Station, 
 
 165. 
 
 Aftermath of Brandy Station, 171. 
 Recollections of Calvin Harper 
 
 (Negro), 186. 
 Charge of John C. Calhoun at Tre- 
 
 villian Station, 187. 
 Diary of John C. Calhoun, Co. C, 
 
 4th S. C. C., Butler s Brigade, 
 
 Hampton s Division, 190. 
 Casualties of Co. C, 4th S. C. C., in 
 
 Battle, 193. 
 
 A Daring Yankee Spy, 199. 
 Battle of Bethesda Church, 205. 
 Battle of Hawes Shop, 209. 
 A Few Letters, 216. 
 Great Men Profitable Company, 223. 
 Fight at Matadoquin and Totopomoi 
 
 Creeks, 30th May, 1864, 224. 
 The Grey Horse "Arab," 231. 
 Battle of Trevillian Station, 236. 
 M. C. Butler a Born Soldier, 260. 
 A Boy Courier s Recollection of 
 
 M. C. Butler, 264. 
 Sheridan s Retreat, 267. 
 Some One Should Write the History 
 
 of Every Brigade, 271. 
 Wilson s Raid, 279. 
 Gravelly Run, Virginia, 284. 
 Letters from the Front, 291. 
 Extract from "The Confederate Sol 
 dier" in the Civil War, 295. 
 Michael Calvin Dickson, 299. 
 Battle of Lee s Mill, Virginia, 301. 
 Battle of Reams Station, 303. 
 Capture of General Grant s Cattle. 
 
 308. 
 What an Artillery Man Saw at the 
 
 Cattle Raid, 314. 
 Battle of McDowell s Farm, 325. 
 Butler s Night March, 344. 
 Butler s Brigade in 1864, 350. 
 
 38 B. C. 
 
580 
 
 INDEX TO TITLES 
 
 Read Before Camp Hampton, 3rd 
 
 September, 1899, 355. 
 "Kit Goodwyn," Colored, 370. 
 Contribution from a Yankee Scout, 
 
 373. 
 
 W. L. Mauldin of Greenville, 377. 
 "Dismounted Battalion, Butler s 
 
 Cavalry Brigade," 380. 
 At Weldon, North Carolina, 384. 
 Shadburne and the Negro, 389. 
 The Power of Prayer, 393. 
 Recollections of J. D. Hogan, Scout. 
 
 403. 
 J. C. Colvin, Scout, of Nokesville, 
 
 Va., 408. 
 
 Warren s Raid, 411. 
 Dr. B. W. Taylor, 416. 
 The Charge on Kilpatrick s Camp, 
 
 417. 
 
 Heroic Deeds, 432. 
 The Citadel Boys, 441. 
 General Kilpatrick s Narrow Escape, 
 
 443. 
 
 The Scenes of a Yankee March, 448. 
 Burning of the Convent, 456. 
 Hugh Scott, Scout for Hampton and 
 
 Butler, Troop I, 2nd S. C. C., 463. 
 The Curtain Falls Butler Sur 
 renders His Cavalry, 465. 
 
 Commands of M. C. Butler, 478. 
 Death of Brig.-Gen. John Dunovant, 
 
 479. 
 
 History and War Anecdotes, 480. 
 The Confederate Soldier, 488. 
 Prison Life, 493. 
 One of Butler s Captains in Prison, 
 
 496. 
 
 On the Way Home, 498. 
 Butler s Scouts in Yankee Prisons, 
 
 504. 
 One of Butler s Scouts at Point 
 
 Lookout, 506. 
 Prison Experience of W. W. Russell, 
 
 509. 
 Forty-nine Thousand Die in Prison, 
 
 513. 
 
 Recollections of Andersonville, 514. 
 Interesting Comparison, 528. 
 Prisoners of War North and South, 
 
 531. 
 
 Regimental Roll of Officers, 537. 
 Colonel Thomas J. Lipscorub. 
 
 "C. S. A.", 545. 
 
 Aiken s Partisan Rangers, 547. 
 Speeches Made at the Unveiling of 
 
 Hampton Monument, 550. 
 To the Departing Confederate Sol 
 diers, 576. 
 
INDEX 
 
 A. 
 
 Adams, Joel, 418. 
 
 Adams, Mat, killed, 428. 
 
 Adams, Lt.-Col. Warren, wounded, 
 474. 
 
 Addison, George, assists in capture 
 of gunboat, 116. 
 
 Aiken, Col. Hugh K. : portrait, 216; 
 wounded, 244; killed, 245, 423; 
 otherwise mentioned, 215, 240, 
 341, 423, 471. 
 
 Aiken, Mrs. Hugh K., 14. 
 
 Aiken s Partisan Rangers, record of, 
 547-549. 
 
 Aldrich, Alfred: portrait, 175; 
 wounded, 249. 
 
 Aldrich, Robert: portrait, 256; men 
 tioned, 339. 
 
 Alston, Lieut., tosses bomb, 433. 
 
 Allen, Wash, 250. 
 
 Allen, Lieut. William, killed, 344. 
 
 Andersonville Prison: described by 
 Henry A. Whitman, 514-528; the 
 "dead line" in, 515; the hospital 
 of, 515-516; the dead house, 517; 
 reflections on the death of a boy 
 in, 517; the graveyard, 518; Cap 
 tain Wirz, governor of, 519-525; 
 suicide (?) in, 523-524; horrors 
 of might have been prevented, 
 526; U. S. government responsi 
 ble for suffering in, 527. 
 
 Arnold, Col. R. B., an "Alfonso," 
 483-484. 
 
 Armies numerical strength con 
 trasted, 528-530. 
 
 Ashley, scout, 418. 
 
 B. 
 
 "B. Still" buried, 485. 
 Bachman s Battery, 429. 
 Baker, L. S. : commands Hampton s 
 brigade, 171. 
 
 Barnberg, Frank : faithful gunner, 
 251, 354, 358. 
 
 Barnes, Bill, 418. 
 
 Barker, Major, T. G. : wounded, 359, 
 361. 
 
 Barnwell, Sergt. Woody: scout, 139. 
 
 Banks, William, chaplain Fourth 
 S. C. C. : captured, robbed and 
 released, 214. 
 
 Baugh, Captain, 473. 
 
 Bauskett, Lieut. John : "The Man of 
 the Hour" at Willtown, 117; por 
 trait, 237; commands company B, 
 244; otherwise mentioned, 249, 
 341. 
 
 Beck, Joe: scout, 136, 162. 
 
 Bellotte, Lieut. F. D. : wounded, 
 193. 
 
 Bellotte, S. A.: wounded, 193. 
 
 Bellotte, Z. D., 193, 300. 
 
 Bellotte, J. D., 300. 
 
 Bennett House: the, 288-289. 
 
 Berg, Jacob : sharpshooter, 176. 
 
 Berry, Dick: wounded, 244. 
 
 Bethesda Church: battle of, 205- 
 208. 
 
 Black: scout, 418. 
 
 Black, Gus, 138. 
 
 Blocker, Major Jno. R. : mortally 
 wounded, 207. 
 
 Bolick, scout : killed, 98, 147. 
 
 Bonham, M. L. : first and last brig 
 adier-general appointed in South 
 Carolina, 481. 
 
 Bostick, Captain, 428. 
 
 Boswell, Major George, 62. 
 
 Boone, J. W., scout: killed, 67. 
 
 Bourke, scout, 234. 
 
 Bourck, scout: killed, 283. 
 
 Bradley, John: scout, 138. 
 
 Bradwater, Abe, 326. 
 
582 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Brandy Station: battle of, 132, 
 149; Butler s Cavalry at, 165- 
 170; losses at compared, 170; 
 losses of Second South Carolina 
 Cavalry at, 171 ; Hampton s brig 
 ade at, 171. 
 
 Briggs, Capt. John, 116. 
 
 Brooks, Capt. James Carroll : fam 
 ily history of, 9-10. 
 
 Brooks, W. B. : tribute to the mem 
 ory of, 7-8 ; assists in capture of 
 gunboat, 116; makes successful 
 ride, 120; killed, 248. 
 
 Brooks, U. R. : portrait of, 4 ; 
 elected historian Butler s Cav 
 alry, 13; passport issued to, 12; 
 attempts practical joke and gets 
 a fright, 122 ; given charge of 
 Butler s papers, 172; celebrates 
 18th birthday in camp, 361-362; 
 loses horse, 420; leads a charge, 
 424 ; slept while Columbia burned, 
 459. 
 
 Brown, Angus P. : wounded, 178 ; 
 prison experience of, 496-497. 
 
 Broughton, Lieut. W. W., 164. 
 
 Buchanan, Captain : wounded, 486. 
 
 Buckhalter, Dr. Charles, 335-336. 
 
 Buford, Munce: sketch of, 287. 
 
 Bunch, J. J., 385. 
 
 Bushnell, Abner : wounded, 244. 
 
 Burch, Press, 339. 
 
 Bush, Ike: wounded, 249. 
 
 Burrell, Billy, 361. 
 
 Butler s Brigade : survivors of form 
 organization, 13; left impression 
 on Yankee officers, 211 ; one meet 
 ing with enough for Sheridan, 
 212; at Cold Harbor, 225; known 
 as fighting cavalry from South 
 Carolina, 350; makes dismounted 
 charge, 352; Gen. E. M. Law 
 commands, 474 ; saves Richmond, 
 494. 
 
 Butler s Cavalry: record of re 
 viewed 17-18; at Trevillian Sta 
 
 tion, 236; at Brandy Station, 165- 
 171. 
 
 Butler, Capt. James : fights duel, 
 427, 446. 
 
 Butler s Division : in Lexington 
 County, 403 ; gets rid of wheels, 
 468 ; bivouacks at Anderson s Mill, 
 469; crosses Catawba River, 470; 
 fired on by Yankee Bummers, 471. 
 
 Butler, M. C. ; portrait of, 15 ; pre 
 sented horse by Sons of American 
 Revolution, 22 ; address of accept 
 ing same, 23-25; family history 
 of, 51 ; makes notable speech in 
 libel case, 55; becomes candidate 
 on Reform ticket, 56; aids in 
 election of Hampton, 57 ; elected 
 U. S. Senator, 57; prosecutes 
 negro military company at Ham 
 burg, S. C., 57; appointed Major- 
 General U. S. A., 58, 69; ap 
 pointed on Cuban Peace Commis 
 sion, 59; saluted on 73rd birth 
 day by "The Evening Record", 59 ; 
 death of, 59-61 ; contributes $10 to 
 Woman s Monument Fund, 61 ; 
 leaves Edgefield as captain 
 Edgefield Hussars, 62; pro 
 moted in succession from cap 
 tain to major-general, 69; tells of 
 evacuation of Yorktown, 70; at 
 Chamberburg, Pa., 80; makes 
 splendid retreat, 83; captures 
 Yankee Christmas presents, 85; 
 at Bacon Race Church, 88; tells 
 joke on Col. Frank Hampton, 89; 
 ordered to Brandy Station, 151 ; 
 tells of his injury and Farley s 
 death, 155 ; cussed some, 205 ; per 
 sisted in riding gray horse, 207; 
 as seen by J. C. Foster, 218-219; 
 R. S. Park s letter to, 220; kind 
 to privates, 223; receives order 
 direct from Gen. Lee, 224 ; in 
 forms Gen. Lee as to Grant s 
 approach, 226; had no use for 
 "domineckers", 227; hero of Tre- 
 
INDEX 
 
 583 
 
 villian Station, 230; captures 
 Capt. Chas. Loeser, 241; re 
 gretted that he did not allow 
 Loeser to break sword, 243; 
 sends "cheeky" order to Col. Rut- 
 ledge, 243; sends word to Hamp 
 ton, that "it is hell to hold and 
 hell to let go", 245 ; commands 
 1st Div. Cav., A. N. V., 247; 
 Sheridan no match for, 252-253; 
 presents captured battleflag to 
 South Carolina, 258; letter to 
 from President Jefferson Davis, 
 260; letter to from Geo. D. Shad- 
 burne, 260-261; letter to from A. 
 H. Lark, 261-262; letter to from 
 R. T. Dunlap, 262-263; defeats 
 Wilson at Sappony Church, 274- 
 278; at Stony Creek, 279, 280; 
 at Lee s Mill, 302; succeeds in 
 daring undertaking, 304; repri 
 mands an officer, 333; name good 
 for brandy, 348; promoted major- 
 general, 356; gives example of 
 noble self-sacrifice, 361 ; captures 
 200 prisoners and 19 wagons, 
 422 ; captures pickets without 
 shooting, 425 ; tells of Kilpatrick s 
 escape, 443-447; watches brother 
 fight duel, 446; orator of the day 
 at Chester reunion, 465-477; de 
 stroys Gov. Aiken s wines, 467; 
 urges Gen. Hardee to attack 
 Blair s Corps, 471-472; suggests 
 haste in evacuation of Cheraw, 
 472; becomes ranking cavalry of 
 ficer of Johnston s Army, 476; 
 signs muster roll of Johnston s 
 Cavalry, 476; distributes $17,000, 
 477; with 100 men causes Wil 
 son s men to stampede, 494; mili 
 tary offices held by, 478; com 
 mands of, 478; staff of, 478; 
 speech of at unveiling of Hamp 
 ton monument, 552-576. 
 Butler, Gen. William: fought In 
 dians in 1779, 26; family history 
 
 and Revolutionary record of, 26- 
 50; elected sheriff of Ninety-Six 
 District, 43; receives Gen. Wash 
 ington, 44 ; elected major-general, 
 44 ; elected to Congress, 44 ; ap 
 pointed on committee to try Gen. 
 Wilkinson, but resigned, 44 ; re 
 signed seat in Congress in favor 
 of Jno. C. Calhoun, 45; placed in 
 charge of troops in Charleston, 
 45 ; appointed brigadier-general 
 U. S. A., but refused, 45 ; brothers 
 and sisters of, 46 ; buried at Big 
 Creek, Edgefield District, S. C., 
 49. 
 
 Butler, O. N., 361. 
 
 Butler, Pick: arrested, 345, 346. 
 
 Butler, Tom, scout: killed, 137. 
 
 Caldwell, D. : lost his staff but 
 tons, 265, 276; gives details of 
 capture of Grant s cattle, 308- 
 324. 
 
 Calhoun, Juo. C. : portrait, 175 ; 
 furnishes historical facts, 186- 
 187 ; diary of from May to August, 
 1864, 189-192; letters of from the 
 front to his sister, 291-294; fam 
 ily history of, 295-298. 
 
 Capture of Grant s cattle, as told 
 by E. L. Wells, 312; as seen by 
 an artilleryman, 314. 
 
 Carson, Ben : scout, 163. 
 
 Carter, Bill: scout, 163. 
 
 Charleston, S. C. : "Cradle of Se 
 cession", 469. 
 
 Charleston Light Dragoons : an 
 honor to belong to, 429. 
 
 Cheus, Major Preston, 248. 
 
 Church, Captain, 246. 
 
 Citadel Boys : Gen. R. Dean writes 
 of, 441-442. 
 
 Claxton, Bill: killed, 249. 
 
 Cleel, scout: killed, 283, 390. 
 
 Cobb, Lieut. R. S. : killed, 329. 
 
 Cogburn, Fayette: killed, 428. 
 
584 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Columbia, S. C. : photographs show 
 ing scenes of in 1865, facing 45G; 
 burned by Sherman, 570; burning 
 of violation of rules of civilized 
 warfare, 466; evacuation of, 466: 
 Gen. Lafayette s visit to, 480: 
 Confederate Veterans march on 
 flower-strewn streets of, 481. 
 
 Colvin, J. C., scout: gives account 
 of last war trials, 408-410; other 
 wise mentioned, 111, 404. 
 
 Collins, A. : wounded, 193, 418. 
 
 Confederate Soldiers bride, 485. 
 
 Confederate Soldiers : essay on, 
 488-492; fought the world, 493; 
 all like Brother Jarnegan, 492. 
 
 "Congaree Mounted Rifles", 64. 
 
 Conrad, Major Holmes: shoots 
 Yankee color-sergeant, 244. 
 
 Cothran, Sam : killed, 428, 475. 
 
 Crafton, George: scout, 136, 162. 
 
 Cunningham, "Bloody Bill," 29, 38, 
 39, 40, 41. 
 
 Curtis, Isaac, 90, 411. 
 
 D. 
 
 Day, A.: killed, 193. 
 
 Day, N. : killed, 193. 
 
 Day, Jim: scout, 163. 
 
 Donnelly, Dave: scout, 163. 
 
 Donnelly, George: scout, 163. 
 
 Davant, John C. : recruits com 
 mand, 172. 
 
 Davis, Flynn: captured, 425; eats 
 a bite while battle rages, 434; 
 kills cruel prison guard, 435. 
 
 Davis, Glen E : expert with pistol, 
 214-215; portrait and sketch of, 
 421; captures Colt s revolver for 
 Hampton, 435; wears silk sus 
 penders, 436. 
 
 Davis, Zimmerman : portrait of, 92 ; 
 promoted Colonel, 287, 352 ; other 
 wise mentioned, 245, 346. 
 
 Dedication. 6. 
 
 Delaney, Pat, 483. 
 
 Dennis, Edward : terror to Yankee 
 raiders, 93; kills negro from Bos 
 ton, 94; deserves monument, 95. 
 
 Devereaux, Miss Agnes, 431. 
 
 Devereaux, Miss Kate, 431. 
 
 Devereaux, Lieut. Jno. P. : shot in 
 five places, 434. 
 
 DeVoe, John: scout, 163. 
 
 Dickson, Michael Calvin : sketch of, 
 299-300. 
 
 Dismounted Battalion : the, 380-382 ; 
 organized by Jas. G. Holmes, 380 ; 
 took part in Gravelly Run fight, 
 381; remounted at Charlotte, 381. 
 
 Dunovant, Gen. John : begs to be 
 allowed to charge, 331 ; wounded, 
 332; succeeded by Gen. Stokes, 
 332; death of, 335, 351; should 
 have monument, 335; slayer of 
 gets medal, 337; buried at Ches 
 ter, S. C., 339; portrait and 
 sketch of, 479. 
 
 Dow, Gen. Neal : captured, 144 ; 
 writes letter from Libby Prison, 
 145 ; exchanged for Gen. W. H. F. 
 Lee, 146. 
 
 Dowling, Rev. : portrait, 237. 
 
 Dwight, Col. C. S. : refuses to sur 
 render, 486. 
 
 Dulin, Jim, scout: wounded, 129; 
 family history of, 489-491; 
 swears to avenge brother s death, 
 490; wounded at Cantey s Farm, 
 491; mentioned, 11, 136, 162, 404, 
 417. 
 
 Dulin, John: died in camp, 489. 
 
 Dulin, Lemuel: killed, 489. 
 
 Dulin, Edward : wounded. 489. 
 
 Dulin, William: murdered, 489. 
 
 E. 
 
 "Edgefield Hussars", 63. 
 
 Eison, N. B., 463. 
 
 Eisom, Perry, 110. 
 
 Elliott, Gen. Stephen : wounded, 
 
 294. 
 
 Elliott: scout, 418. 
 Evans, Col. P. G. : killed, 182. 
 
INDEX 
 
 585 
 
 Fant, C. M. : wounded, 193. 
 
 Farley, Capt. W. D. : killed near 
 Brandy Station, 160-168; died on 
 battlefield, 149; buried at Cul- 
 pepper Court House, Va., 158; 
 death of told by Calvin Harper 
 (colored), 184-185. 
 
 Farley, Major Henry, 334. 
 
 Ferguson, Major Dug, 268. 
 
 Ferguson, Major, Tom : portrait, 
 175; commands regiment, 245. 
 
 Ferguson, Sydnor G. : captures Yan 
 kee captain, 376. 
 
 Fifth South Carolina Cavalry, 17, 
 135, 148, 214, 236, 245, 247, 267, 
 288, 301, 325, 346, 347, 350, 380. 
 
 First South Carolina Cavalry, 17, 
 85, 91, 136, 147, 151, 166, 174, 
 178, 228, 293, 320, 325. 
 
 Fontain, Dr. : killed, 336-337. 
 
 Fourth South Carolina Cavalry, 17, 
 66, 205, 209, 220, 236, 240, 241, 
 247, 253, 293, 301, 316, 325, 326, 
 328, 347, 350, 380, 423, 505. 
 
 Foster, Jack : portrait, 121. 
 
 Fowles, Newt.: scout, 136, 162, 504. 
 
 G. 
 
 Gary, Gen. W. M. : brigade and 
 scouts on the Chickahominy, 163; 
 orders two promotions one for 
 piety, the other for profanity, 
 437-438; died in Edgefield, 438; 
 portrait of, 439. 
 
 Garvin, Billy, 361. 
 
 Georgia battalion stampedes at shot 
 of Yankee vidette, 228-229. 
 
 Giles, Andrew: wounded, 249. 
 
 Glaze, R. M. : killed, 252. 
 
 Glenn : wounded, 193. 
 
 Goodwyn, "Kit": colored, 370-373. 
 
 Gordon, Gen. J. B. : eulogizes pri 
 vates, 90. 
 
 Gregg, Capt. James J. : wounded, 
 244. 
 
 Grant, Xealy : hero of battle of Tre- 
 
 villian Station, 213-214, 250 
 Gravelly Run: battle of, 284-286. 
 Guffin, Jim: scout, 141, 404, 417. 
 Guffin, Lem: scout, 417, 418. 
 
 H. 
 
 Hagood, Col. James R. : commended 
 by General Lee, 368-369 ; youngest 
 colonel of the line, 481. 
 
 Hagood, General, 347. 
 
 Halcourt, D. N. : wounded, 193. 
 
 Hammond, Capt., 62. 
 
 Hampton, Col. Frank: killed, 153; 
 at Brandy Station, 165. 
 
 Hampton, Lieut.-Col. Preston : 
 killed, 352. 
 
 Hampton, Capt. Wade, Jr. : 
 w T ounded, 352. 
 
 Hampton Monument : speeches made 
 at unveiling of, 550-576; M. A. 
 Morgan presents, 550; Governor 
 Heyward accepts, 550-552; Gen. 
 M. C. Butler s speech at, 552-576. 
 
 Hampton, Wade H. : suggested war 
 would last ten years, 67; military 
 governor Chamber sburg, Pa., 81 ; 
 at Fayetteville, N. C., 112; cap 
 tured Captain Duncan and Dan 
 Day, 113 ; commends privates for 
 gallantry, 113, 428-429; accused 
 General Wickham of being cause 
 of brother s death, 169; brigade 
 of at Upperville, 174; presence of 
 inspiring, 222; at Trevillian 
 Station, 238; defeats Sheridan at 
 Trevillian Station, 239; held his 
 command in suspense, 239-240; 
 meets Kilpatrick at the Bennett 
 House, 288; succeeds J. E. B. 
 Stuart, 314 ; at Sapphony Church, 
 351; portrait of, 353; division of 
 upsets Grant s plans, 356; tells 
 how to shoot pistol, 436 ; suggests 
 improvement on Colt s revolvers, 
 436 ; receives communication from 
 Sherman, 451 ; makes manly reply 
 
586 
 
 INDEX 
 
 to Sherman, 451-453 ; monument 
 to, 550-576. 
 
 Hanley,, scout: deserted, 100; cap 
 tured, 232. 
 
 Harris, Shake: scout, 111, 276, 282, 
 418, 504, 508. 
 
 Hart, Major : lost leg, 357 ; corrects 
 General Gregg and Col. C. H. 
 Smith as regards the fight at 
 Gravelly Run, 307-368. 
 
 Hart, Jesse, 361, 505. 
 
 Haskell, Col. Jno. C. : had thought 
 of others while his own arm was 
 being amputated, 360; colonel at 
 20, 481; youngest colonel of artil 
 lery, 481. 
 
 Haskell, Willie: scout, 139. 
 
 Hatcher, Captain, 243. 
 
 Hawes Shop, casualties of Co. C, 
 Fourth South Carolina Cavalry, 
 at, 193; battle of, 209-215. 
 
 Hawkins, Morton L. : contributes 
 interesting chapter, 373-375; acci 
 dentally kills General Rosser s 
 horse, 375. 
 
 Henderson, J. : wounded, 193. 
 
 Henderson, Prioleau, 231. 
 
 Henegan, Barney: brave scout and 
 war orator, 235; otherwise men 
 tioned, 136, 139, 140, 162, 234. 
 
 Hodges: scout, 418. 
 
 Hodges, G. H. : wounded, 427. 
 
 Hogan, Dick: near Petersburg, 103- 
 104, 232 ; mentioned, 100, 135, 162, 
 234, 235, 238, 268; portrait of, 
 131 ; tells of the battle of Brandy 
 Station, 132-133; establishes 
 Libby Prison No. 2, 162; men 
 tioned, 418, 485, 486, 509. 
 
 Hogan, J. D. : sees duty around 
 Columbia, 403-407 ; misinformed 
 by negro, rode into enemy s camp, 
 405; questioned by General Wil 
 liams, 405; carried before Gen 
 eral Sherman, 406; offers to fight 
 duel, 406; suffers from old 
 wound, 407. 
 
 Holcolme, Sergeant: killed, 188. 
 
 Holliday, Sergeant: killed, 180. 
 
 Holmes, J. G. : portrait of, 379 ; or 
 ganized "Dismounted Battalion", 
 380. 
 
 Hood, Sergeant: killed, 180. 
 
 Horsey, Lieut. S. G. : takes part in 
 capture of gunboat, 118. 
 
 Hough, J. M. : at Burgess Mill, 
 382-383. 
 
 Hough, Lieut. Mat J. : portrait, 237. 
 
 Humphries, Capt. Jno., 437. 
 
 Humphrey, Capt. Mose : killed, 341 ; 
 refused to submit to operation, 
 427. 
 
 Hutchinson, Phil.: scout, 65; at Po- 
 cotaligo, 66; wounded at Hawes 
 Shop, 67 ; shed tears at surrender, 
 68; portrait of, 379; otherwise 
 mentioned, 66, 67, 104, 417. 
 
 I. 
 
 "Iron Scouts" : accused of stirring 
 up fight and running away, 111 ; 
 named, 136; numbers increase, 
 139; surprised at home of Mrs. 
 Rudd, 141; capture Gen. Netil 
 Dow, 144 ; named again, 162, 238 ; 
 capture Captain McDonald, 162. 
 
 Introduction, 9-12. 
 
 J. 
 
 Jackson, Bill : scout, 309, 506. 
 Jackson attacks McClellau at 
 
 Mechanicsville, 78. 
 Jeffords, Lieut.-Col. : killed, 352; 
 
 buried in Magnolia Cemetery, 
 
 Charleston, 358. 
 Jennings, Pat, 301. 
 Johnson, Cecil, scout: killed. 179: 
 
 otherwise mentioned, 136, 162. 
 Johnson, Lieut.-Col. Benj. J. : 
 
 killed. 
 Jones, Ellie Brooks: poems by, 3 
 
 60, 298. 
 Jones, James, 482. 
 
INDEX 
 
 587 
 
 Jones, Capt. Robert Cadwallader : 
 killed, 157, 160 ; helped raise First 
 South Carolina Cavalry Regi 
 ment, 161. 
 
 K. 
 
 Kennedy, John D. : brigadier-gen 
 eral at 24, 481 ; otherwise men 
 tioned, 341, 345. 
 
 Kennedy, Dolph : detailed as scout, 
 107, 404, 418. 
 
 King, Bernard, scout: did excellent 
 work in 1876, 143 ; otherwise men 
 tioned, 141, 142, 311, 418, 430. 
 
 King, Lieut-Col.: killed, 475. 
 
 Kirkey, W. C. : wounded, 193. 
 
 "Kit Goodwyn," colored, 370-373. 
 
 Knotts, Ben, 404. 
 
 Lafayette and the Confederate sol 
 dier, 480. 
 
 Lanneau, Lieut John F., 315, 316. 
 
 Lamar, Major : killed. 
 
 Lathan, scout, 390. 
 
 Lee, Gen. R. E. : orders his soldiers 
 to abide by rules of civilized war 
 fare, 455. 
 
 Lee s Mills: battle of, 301-302. 
 
 Lee, Stephen D. : lieutenant-general 
 at 32, 481. 
 
 Lee, William: wounded, 193. 
 
 Legare, Sol: 418, 504, 513. 
 
 Lide, Layton : scout, 139. 
 
 Lindsay: scout, 417. 
 
 Light, Bill, 418. 
 
 Lipscomb, James N., 361. 
 
 Lipscomb, Thomas J. : ordered to 
 South Carolina, 139; portrait of, 
 159; made colonel, 160; sketch 
 of, 160-164; at Brandy Station, 
 167; tells of rally near Stevens- 
 burg, 168; tribute to the memory 
 of, 545-546. 
 
 Logan, Brig.-Gen. T. M. : succeeds 
 Dunovant, 474 ; portrait of, 476. 
 
 Long, Lieutenant : with 30 men held 
 the enemy in check, 246. 
 
 Lumpkin, Bill : killed by the "nig 
 ger" squadron, 164. 
 
 M. 
 
 Manning, Wade H. : elected secre 
 tary Survivors organization, 13 ; 
 fights for Jim Tradewell, 95; 
 recommended for promotion, 287; 
 writes sketch, 370; portrait, 371. 
 
 Manassas : why Pope lost the battle 
 of, 77. 
 
 Mason, James M., 361. 
 
 Masonic sign saves lives, 309. 
 
 Mather, A. I.: portrait of, 221; 
 sketch of, 222; a Yankee brother, 
 230. 
 
 Matodoquin and Totopomoi Creeks, 
 fight at, 224. 
 
 Maroney, Joe: scout, 163. 
 
 Markert, Lieut. : at Brandy Station, 
 167. 
 
 Maynard, R. G. : writes from the 
 field, 193-194; in error as to 
 charge at Trevillian Station, 195. 
 
 Mauldin, W. L. : portrait and sketch 
 of, 377-378. 
 
 Mays, Sam : wounded, 249. 
 
 McCalla, Sergt. : killed, 282 ; another 
 account, 320. 
 
 McClellan, General : charged with 
 being overcautious, 79. 
 
 McClellan, Major, 316, 342. 
 
 McDonald, W. H. : wounded, 193, 
 293. 
 
 McDowell s Farm : Charles Monta 
 gue s account of the battle of, 
 325-336. 
 
 McGowan, Sam, 482. 
 
 McGuire, Capt., 243. 
 
 McFie, Capt. J. P., 171. 
 
 Mcllwain : scout, 390. 
 
 McQueen, Lieut. Jno. A. : hero of 
 Sherman s Army, 418; A. Toomer 
 Porter writes letter regarding, 
 418-419; laments destruction of 
 
588 
 
 INDEX 
 
 property in Columbia, 423; cap 
 tured, 424. 
 
 Melton, George, 361. 
 
 Merchant, R. B., 418. 
 
 Mikler, Bill: reward offered for, 
 340; kills Capt. Judson Polite, 
 colored, 140; otherwise men 
 tioned, 136, 139, 162, 231, 232, 
 235, 509. 
 
 Mikler, Hugh : scout, 136, 162. 
 
 Miller, Sim : scout, 139 ; wounded, 
 234. 
 
 Miller, Lieut.-Col. L. P. ; portrait of, 
 340; ordered to break up "Dead 
 Line" Camp, 342; made soldiers 
 out of Arabs, 347 ; otherwise men 
 tioned, 244, 338, 341. 
 
 Miller. Wallace, 136, 137, 141, 162, 
 238, 268, 276, 282, 309, 311, 417, 
 485, 486, 504; portrait of, 141. 
 
 Mixon, Col. F. M. : pitches bomb 
 shell, 368. 
 
 Morgan, Gen. Daniel : unveiling of 
 monument to, 132. 
 
 Morgan, Gen. John H. : visits Gen 
 eral Dow in prison, 145; foully 
 murdered, 145. 
 
 Morgan, Major, J. H., 66, 241, 286. 
 
 Morrow, Bill, 418. 
 
 Moses, "Shaftsbury", 341, 427. 
 
 Montague, Charles: assists in cap 
 ture of gunboat, 116; has narrow 
 escape, 117, 341; portrait, 121. 
 
 Moore, Gen. James : recounts acts 
 of bravery near Stevensburg, 167 ; 
 portrait, 175. 
 
 Moore, Capt. : wounded, 193. 
 
 Mosby s scouts run from Blazer s, 
 374 ; turn tables and capture Can- 
 tain Blazer, 376. 
 
 Moss, John: killed, 249, 253. 
 
 Moss, Mat : killed, 249, 253. 
 N. 
 
 Nettles, Lieutenant, 344. 
 
 Niblet, Jim, 102, 110, 418. 
 
 Niernsee, Frank : captured, 425. 
 
 Nix, Jim, 361. 
 
 Orchard, Belton, 249, 341, 346, 347. 
 Ogg, 249, 250. 
 
 49 
 
 P. 
 
 Padgett, Eddie: killed, 249. 
 
 Parks, Pres, 418. 
 
 Perrin, General, 482. 
 
 Pickets frozen at post, 412. 
 
 Pierce, John H. : tells of capture of 
 J. H. Brent, Carroll and himself, 
 123; portrait of, 124; carried to 
 Washington, 125; converses with 
 Belle Boyd, Confederate spy, 126 ; 
 gives cure for toothache, 128; 
 mentioned, 135, 405, 508; walks 
 home after surrender, 497-502. 
 
 Preface, 5. 
 
 Preston, John S., 361-367. 
 
 Price, S. N. : wounded, 193. 
 
 Prior, Private Roger A. : captured 
 while exchanging papers, 364; 
 General Meade refuses to release, 
 365. 
 
 Prisoners of War: B. F. Butler 
 comments on, 366; numbers of 
 compared, 495; General Grant re 
 fuses to exchange, 495, 536; U. S. 
 government responsible for suf 
 fering of, 495, 526-527 ; 49,000 die, 
 513 ; essay on by Miss Ruth Rodg- 
 ers, 531-536. 
 
 Prison points: North and South, 
 533. 
 
 Point Lookout Prison : Southerners 
 fared badly in, 507. 
 
 Pope, Y. J. : wounded, 69. 
 
 Porcher, Mr. Mazyck: treated 
 cruelly, 65. 
 
 Purdee, Tom : saves jar of pre 
 serves, 161. 
 
 Q. 
 
 Quattlebaum, Jim : wounded, 249. 
 Quattlebaum, Henry : wounded, 249. 
 
INDEX 
 
 589 
 
 R. 
 
 Radden, Lorenzie: gets "powerful" 
 
 sick, 486. 
 Reams Station: battle of, 303-307; 
 
 Hampton s report on, 305. 
 Regimental roll of officers of But 
 ler s Division, 537. 
 Reid, Oscar John Daly: killed, 91; 
 
 rashly brave, 147. 
 Rhett, Col. Alfred, 474. 
 Rhett, John T. : describes a scene of 
 
 knightly courtesy and heroism, 
 
 169. 
 
 Richardson, Hal, 509. 
 Rife: scout, 276, 282, 390. 
 Robertson, Lieut. F., 316. 
 Robertson, Mrs. M. C., 14. 
 Roundtree, Bud: wounded, 249. 
 Rosser, General : routs Custer, 244 ; 
 
 captures District of Columbia 
 
 regiment, 308. 
 Rons, Charles B., 243. 
 Rutherford, Col. Wm. Drayton, 68. 
 Rutledge, Col. B. H., 241, 253, 466, 
 
 470. 
 Russell, Walker, scout : portrait, 
 
 379 ; prison experience of, 509- 
 
 512; mentioned, 111, 141, 142, 
 
 417, 485, 504. 
 Ryan, Rev. Father: misquoted, 483. 
 
 S. 
 
 Sanders, Pat, 506. 
 
 Sanders : scout, 404. 
 
 Sanderson, Bill: scout, 309, 310. 
 
 Scott, Hugh Henderson : becomes a 
 scout, 96; portrait of, 97; cap 
 tures Captain Mason, 100; with 
 Dan Tanner relieves Yankee 
 vidette, 103; an army in himself, 
 107 ; buys Butler a hat, 108 ; with 
 Perry Eisom and three others cap 
 ture 19 horses, 110; with Hamp 
 ton at Fayetteville, N. C., Ill; 
 aided by a few friends captured 
 75 horses, 463; fails to capture 
 
 barrel of "Mountain Dew", 464; 
 otherwise mentioned, 135, 238, 
 361, 418. 
 
 Second Battalion Cavalry, S. C. V. 
 reorganized, 188-189. 
 
 Second South Carolina Cavalry, 17, 
 53, 63, 69, 80, 81, 85, 88, 135, 140, 
 150, 160, 167, 174, 179, 183. 
 
 Sego, Tom: killed, 428. 
 
 Sixth South Carolina Cavalry, 7, 
 17, 93, 234, 244, 245, 246, 247, 
 248, 294, 301, 316, 338, 339, 344, 
 347, 350, 380, 424, 475, 482. 
 
 Sheppard, Oscar : wounded, 244 ; 
 killed, 341. 
 
 Shipman, Harmon, 341. 
 
 Shipman, Ben, 341. 
 
 Shira, Sergeant : scout, 136. 
 
 Shiver, Bob : scout, 84, 101-102 ; 417, 
 509. 
 
 Shiver, Marion, scout: saves a 
 friend, 88. 
 
 Shoolbred, Jack, scout: portrait of, 
 121; sells Yankee negro, 130; 
 otherwise mentioned, 112, 162, 234, 
 404, 418. 
 
 Simmonds : scout, 390, 418. 
 
 Simms, W. Gilmore: portrait, 379. 
 
 Smith, David, 417. 
 
 Smith, Davis: scout, 282, 390. 
 
 Solid South: reason for, 413. 
 
 Sparks, Calhoun : scout, 136, 139, 
 162. 
 
 Stark, Lamar: scout, 139. 
 
 Stokes, Marcus B. : interested in 
 Butler and His Cavalry, 266. 
 
 Sullivan, Mims : portrait, 237; men 
 tioned, 340. 
 
 Sullivan, Jarrard D. : portrait, 237. 
 
 Salmon: wounded, 117. 
 
 Scott, "Yeller", "Lem" and "Young", 
 not to be played with, 482-483. 
 
 Seibels, Major Emmett: expert 
 soapmaker, 306-307. 
 
 Shadburne, Geo. D. : captured, 104; 
 engaged in fierce fight, 105; por 
 trait of, 259; tells of Wilson s 
 
590 
 
 INDEX 
 
 raid, 279-283; captures 17 horses 
 single-handed, 281; with six 
 scouts captures 80 Yankees, 281; 
 gives graphic account of how 
 eleven Confederates and a Yan 
 kee volunteer captured or killed 
 negro cavalry company, 389-392 ; 
 captured, 393; destroys telltale 
 papers, 394-395; questioned by 
 Colonel Sunmer, 396; attempts to 
 bribe guard, 397; on board the 
 S. S. Daniel Webster, 397; trans 
 ferred to the prison barge 
 "Walkil", 398; kneels in prayer, 
 398; finds a friend, 398; breaks 
 his shackles, 399; escapes, 401; 
 tells of Warren s Raid, 411-414; 
 dresses in blue, 411 ; with 20 
 scouts leave New York Zouaves 
 to "tell no tales", 412; gives 
 reason for "Solid South", 412; 
 mentioned, 238, 276, 308, 313, 417, 
 509. 
 
 Shands, Sergt. G. D. : behaves gal 
 lantly, 248; promoted lieutenant, 
 28G; sketch of, 286. 
 
 Sheridan : not suited to command 
 cavalry, 257; retreat of at Tre- 
 villian Station, 267-278; fought 
 women and children, 279. 
 
 Sligh, Capt. W. II., 66. 
 
 Sloan, Jim : scout, 104, 111, 276, 282, 
 390, 418. 
 
 Southside Railroad : efforts to de 
 stroy, 385-386. , 
 
 Stokes, Lieut.-Col. : behaved gal 
 lantly, 277; succeeds Dunovant, 
 332. 
 
 T. 
 
 Tanner, Dan: scout, 105, 112, 276, 
 282, 390, 417, 463. 
 
 Taylor, Alex, 361. 
 
 Taylor, Dr. B. W. : gave no thought 
 to danger, 138; took no heed of 
 cannon balls, 359; Butler grieved 
 at death of, 416; portrait of, 415; 
 otherwise mentioned, 361. 
 
 Thistle, Dr. Tom: captured, 106, 
 
 417. 
 Thomas, Rev. William : promoted 
 
 for piety, 438; preaches General 
 
 Gary s funeral, 440. 
 Thornwell, Gillespie: killed, 234. 
 Thornwell: scout, 139. 
 Toombs, Gen. Bob : meets Daniel 
 
 Webster s son on battlefield, 138. 
 Toinpkins, Dan H., and his Yan 
 kee horse, 163. 
 Trapier, Lieut-Col., 381. 
 Tradewell, James: Wade Manning 
 
 and Richard O Neal fight for, 95. 
 Treiiholin, Capt. W. L., 65. 
 Trevillian Station: battle of, 236; 
 
 comments on battle of by Edw. 
 
 L. Wells, 255. 
 Turner, Starling, 361. 
 Tupper, James Young, Jr. : a second 
 
 Jasper, 433. 
 Twiggs, Joe: scout, 136. 
 
 U. 
 
 Upperville: battle of described by 
 H. B. McClellan, 182; extracts of 
 sketch of by Gen. James Moore, 
 Hampton s brigade at, 177 ; Mc 
 Clellan sums up result of battle 
 of, 183. 
 
 Ursuline Convent : early history of, 
 456; established in Columbia, 
 456; building burned by Sherman, 
 457, 460; Sherman testifies as to 
 burning of, 458; Sherman s 
 daughter pupil of, in Ohio, 458; 
 moved to Preston mansion, 460 ; 
 established at Valle Crucis, 461 ; 
 moved back to Preston mansion, 
 461 ; erects permanent home, 462. 
 
 V. 
 
 Verdier, W. J. : gunner, 250, 358. 
 
 W. 
 
 Waller: scout, 390. 
 Walter s bottery : captures gunboat, 
 114 ; saves a bridge, 119. 
 
INDEX 
 
 591 
 
 Walker, Col. W. S. : forces of at 
 Pocataligo, 66. 
 
 Walker, Thaddeus, J. : sketch of, 
 200; captures Yankee spy, 200; 
 was it General Dahlgren? 203. 
 
 War horses: Old Traveller, 19; Old 
 Sorrel, 19; Butler, 19; Don, 19, 
 294 ; Arab, 19, 231, 234 ; Fall Colt, 
 19, 142; Old Bench Legs, 156; 
 General Butler s last, 21; Emma, 
 234 ; Sheriff, 294. 
 
 Waring, Lieut. W. H., 167. 
 
 Waterbury, scout: one of the 
 bravest men in the Army, 309; 
 treacherously shot, 310 ; a busi 
 ness man in Baltimore, 311. 
 
 Watson, Michael, 36. 
 
 Weldon, N. C. : important depot for 
 Army supplies, 384; attempts to 
 capture, 384; Warren destroys 
 railroad track near, 385-386; 
 Hart and McGregor turn Warren 
 from, 386; Butler, M. C., rebuilds 
 railroad to, 387. 
 
 Wheeler, General, 417. 
 
 White, Dr. Henry Alexander: 
 praises Carolina and Georgia sol 
 diers, 503-504. 
 
 White, Col. Ed., 243. 
 
 Whitman, Henry A. : describes An- 
 dersonville prison, 514-528. 
 
 Whittier, Gen. Chas. A., of Massa 
 chusetts : praises Southern sol 
 diery, 226-227. 
 
 Wickham, Colonel : ran and falsi 
 fied as to cause, 153; at a disad 
 vantage, 166. 
 
 Willingham, John: scout, 136. 
 
 Willing, Joseph : not afraid of fiz 
 zing bombs, 383. 
 
 Williamsburg : battle of might have 
 been avoided, 77. 
 
 Wilson defeated, 276. 
 
 Wirz, Capt, 519-525. 
 
 Winn, Sergt. Hill: killed in Colum 
 bia, 418. 
 
 Winston, Major P. B., 243. 
 
 Wright, Col. Gid, 444. 
 
 Wright, Col. J. G., 466. 
 
 Wyche, John, 361. 
 
 Y. 
 
 Yankee bummers : in and around 
 Columbia, 419; convicted by their 
 own witnesses, 448; kindled fires 
 in garrets, 449 ; insulted women, 
 450; Butler s cavalry and, 450; 
 one of tells how much he had 
 stolen, 453-454. 
 
 Young, Gen. B. M. B. : refuses to 
 surrender, 437 ; served in Con 
 gress, 437. 
 
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