Winter Quarters

During my visit to the Archives this past Saturday, I was browsing through the John B. Chesson papers. In one particular letter one of Chesson's sons? wrote about preparations for winter quarters at Camp Potomac near Fredericksburg, VA. The 2nd North Carolina State Troops are mentioned, but I have not found a Chesson in the muster rolls for the regiment. Hmmm. Anyway here is what he had to say about winter quarters, written November 16, 1861. I had a hard time transcribing this letter. Penmanship was not this gents. forte nor punctuation. I will do some more searching and see if I can come up with this man's unit. Stay tuned.

The regiment has slightly scattered about the neighborhood erecting winter quarters when we can find the material I am myself however upon the old ground still with one of the companies I am still in a tent though I have dug a small cellar in one side of it and cut a fireplace out of the bank of earth thus obtained. When it does not smoke or let the wooden [illegible] or upper [illegible] afire it keeps me quite comfortable, and at night with all the bedding I can muster I find it difficult to keep tolerably warm. I have not yet tried the newspapers.

Absence

Sorry for the lack of posts the last couple weeks. Been out of work the last couple months and it has been a struggle. Not a lot of time to blog when job hunting. This past weekend me and my pards were in the mountains of West Virginia for the Assault on Allegheny campaign event. Marched 7 miles on Saturday followed by the fight. Rained cats and dogs all that night and we had to evacuate. Needless to say Sunday and Monday I was catching up on some rest. I will be at the Archives tomorrow for some more transcribing. I'm going to start transcribing some of the articles and letters of John C. Gorman, Company B 2nd NCT.

Col. Charles Courtenay Tew Letter

Was at the North Carolina Division of Archives and History on Saturday doing some research for my Ramseur's brigade project. Transcribed a few letters. Here is one written by Colonel Charles Courtenay Tew, commander of the 2nd NCT. The Hillsboro he mentions is the Hillsboro Military Academy of which he was the superintendent. This letter was written on May 9th, 1861 at Fort Macon North Carolina. Question marks are guesses on my part.

Dearest Wife,

I scarcely can miss an opportunity of sending you a letter and as Whitted? is going up I avail myself of his services.
Dr. Jones told me this afternoon that you and Mrs. J were coming down soon, and I hope it is true, though you will not see the fort in as good order as you would if the visit was postponed a fortnight. The Newbern ladies were to come anon? yesterday, but they have not done so yet. [illegible] Annie Roulhac? Finland to name our big Columbiad after her, "Annie". Several of the guns bear ladies names.
I am comfortable enough down here, but have not taken my pants off [illegible] night yet_ think of that. Mrs. T. boots and coat only are removed; to bed from 12 to 1.30 and up in time for drill at 61/2 A.M. We live right well too; I get any quantity of presents? from the officers and men, and flowers etc. from the ladies, but you need not say anything about that. What is Hamilton doing? I heard something about his going to Weldon to take charge of a company, is it so?
I see that our arms resolution has been brought up and killed in the House; I have just sent a note to Shelman? about it which you will probably see in the State Journal. Without being positive on the subject I certainly never expect to receive or accept from the Legislature of N.C. any favors, any pay, any return for services or any anything else. What turn things may take it is impossible to say, but I feel as though I never wanted the legislature to notice the academy at all. One thing is certain; I am confident private patronage enough to keep off the necessity of applying to the legislature.
By the way I wonder whether the Hearth? family have been yet brought back [illegible] that the H.M.A? is of any use to the State or to Hillsboro:
Come down and bring the children if only for two days. Perhaps you may get a free ticket; I know you would if Mr. Fisher was aware of your intention. I hope all our Cadets will pay up soon_
Yours Respectfully (have Richardson write to me)
Courtenay

Bibliography Part 2

Here are some more books on North Carolina troops.

20. Voices From Cemetery Hill, by Albert Spear.
Letters and diaries of Lt. Col. Asbury Spear 28th NCT.

21. To Drive the Enemy From Southern Soil: The Letters of Colonel Francis Marion Parker and the History of the Thirtieth Regiment North Carolina Troops, by Michael W. Taylor.

22. The Cry is War, War, War: The Civil War Correspondence of Lieutenants Burwell Thomas Cotton and George Job Huntley, Thirty-fourth Regiment North Carolina Troops, Pender-Scales Brigade of the Light Division, Stonewall Jackson's and A.P. Hill's Corps, Army of Northern Virginia, C.S.A., by Michael W. Taylor.

23. A Captain's War: The Letters and Diaries of William H.S. Burgwyn, Thirty-Fifth North Carolina Infantry, by William H.S. Burgwyn.

24. A Portion of My Life, by William M. Norman. Norman served in the 2nd North Carolina Infantry.

25. As You May Never See Us Again: The Civil War Letters of George and Walter Battle, 4th North Carolina Infantry, by Sharlene Baker and Joel Craig.

26. Reminiscences of the Civil War 1861-1865, by P.L. Ledford. Ledford served in the 14th North Carolina Infantry.

27. Experience of A Confederate Chaplain 1861-1865, by Alexander D. Betts. Betts was chaplain of the 30th North Carolina Infantry.

State Troops Bibliography

I'd like to start a reading list pertaining to North Carolina State Troops. These can be regimental histories, brigade histories, memoirs, etc. Here is what I have come up with so far:

1. Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions From North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65. 5 volumes. by Walter Clark.
Written by members of each unit of state troops, this is one of the most important regimental history collections available.

2. North Carolina Troops 1861-1865: A Roster. 17 volumes. by Weymouth T. Jordan and Louis H. Manarin.
The 17th volume has just been issued covering Junior Reserves and this set is definitive, with brief regimental and company histories as well the names and service records of each state troop and volunteer. The best of its kind.

3. Lee's Tar Heels: The Pettigrew-Kirkland-MacRae Brigade, by Earl J. Hess.
Excellent brigade history of one of Lee's largest brigades composed of the 11th, 26th, 44th, and 52nd NC.

4. More Terrible Than Victory: North Carolina's Bloody Bethel Regiment, 1861-65, by Craig S. Chapman.
Tells the story of the 1st North Carolina Volunteers (11th NCT), the unit that suffered the South's first battle death.

5. Covered With Glory: The 26th North Carolina Infantry at the Battle of Gettysburg, by Rod Gragg.
Excellent account of the regiments service with a focus on the Gettysburg Campaign.

6. The Thirty-Seventh North Carolina Troops: Tar Heels in the Army of Northern Virginia, by Michael C. Hardy.

7. The 25th North Carolina Troops in the Civil War: History and Roster of a Mountain-Bred Regiment, by Carroll C. Jones.

8. The 55th North Carolina in the Civil War: A History and Roster, by Jeffrey M. Girvan.

9. The Bloody Sixth: The Sixth North Carolina Regiment C.S.A., by Richard William Iobst.

10. The 4th North Carolina Cavalry in the Civil War: A History and Roster, by Neil Hunter Raiford

11. History of the 16th North Carolina Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the Civil War, by George H. Mills.

12. The Twenty Eighth North Carolina: A Civil War History and Roster, by Francis H. Casstevens.

13. The Guilford Grays : Co. B, 27th NC Regiment, by John A. Sloan.

14. The Anson Guards: History of Company C 14th Regiment, N.C.V. Army of Northern Virginia, by W.A. Smith.

15. Historical Sketch of the Pee Dee Guards, Co. D, 23rd NC Regiment, 186-65, by H.C. Wall.

16. The Randolph Hornets in the Civil War: A History and Roster of Company M, 22nd North Carolina Regiment, by Wallace E. Jarrell.

17. A Darkness Ablaze, The Civil War Medical Diary and Wartime Experiences of Dr. John Hendricks Kinyoun, Sixty-Sixth North Carolina Infantry Regiment, by Joseph Kinyoun Houts Jr.

18. State Troops and Volunteers: A Photographic Record of North Carolina's Civil War Soldiers, by Greg Mast.

19. Across the Dark River: The Odyssey of the 56th N.C. Infantry in the American Civil War, by Clyde H. Ray.

That's all for today. Will post some more this week. If you know of any others that should be on the list just post a comment or send me an e-mail and I will post them.

Gettysburg In Their Own Words #2

This is an excerpt from Louis Leon's "Diary of A Confederate Soldier". Leon was a private in the 53rd North Carolina (Daniel's brigade, Rodes' division, Ewell's Second Corps).

July 1 - We left camp at 6 A.M., passed through Heidelsburg and Middleton. At the latter place we heard firing in the direction of Gettysburg. We were pushed forward after letting the wagon trains get in our rear. We got to Gettysburg at 1 P.M., 15 miles. We were drawn up in line of battle about one mile south of town, and a little to the left of the Lutheran Seminary. We then advanced to the enemy's line of battle in double quick time. We had not gotten more than 50 paces when Norman of our company fell dead by my side. Katz was going to pick him up. I stopped him, as it is strictly forbidden for anyone to help take the dead or wounded off the field except the ambulance corps. We then crossed over a rail fence, where our Lieutenant McMatthews and Lieutenant Alexander were both wounded. That left us with a captain and one lieutenant. After this we got into battle in earnest, and lost in our company very heavily, both killed and wounded. This fight lasted four hours and a half, when at last we drove them clear out of town, and took at least 3,000 prisoners. They also lost very heavily in killed and wounded, which all fell into our hands. After the fight our company was ordered to pick up all straggling Yankees in town, and bring them together to be brought to the rear as prisoners. One fellow I took up could not speak one word of English, and the first thing he asked me in Germanwas "Will I get my pay in prison?" After we had them all put up in a pen we went to our regiment and rested. Major Iredell, of our regiment, came to me and shook my hand, and also complimented me for action in the fight. At dusk I was about going to hunt up my brother Morris, when he came to me. Thank God, we are both safe as yet. We laid all night among the dead Yankees, but they did not disturb our peaceful slumbers.

July 2 - Our division was in reserve until dark, but our regiment was supporting a battery all day. We lost several killed and wounded, although we had no chance to fire - only lay by a battery of artillery and be shot at. The caisson of the battery we were supporting was blown up and we got a big good sprinkling of the wood from it. Just at dark we were sent to the front under terrible cannonading. Still, it was certainly a beautiful sight. It being dark, we could see the cannon vomit forth fire. Our company had to cross a rail fence. It gave way and several of our boys were hurt by others walking over them. We laid down here a short time, in fact no longer than 10 minutes, when I positively fell asleep. The cannonading did not disturb me. One of the boys shook me and told me Katz was wounded by a piece of a shell striking him on the side, and he was sent to the rear. We went on to the Baltimore Turnpike until 3 in the morning of the 3d.

July 3 - When under a very heavy fire, we were ordered on Culps Hill, to the support of Gen. A.Johnson. Here we stayed all day - no, here, I may say, we melted away. We were on the brow of one hill, the enemy on the brow of another. We charged on them several times, but of course, running down our hill, and then to get to them was impossible, and every time we attempted it we came back leaving some of our comrades behind. Here our Lieutenant Belt lost his arm. We have now in our company a captain. All of our lieutenants are wounded. We fought here until 7 P.M., when what was left of us was withdrawn and taken to the first day's battlefield. At the commencement of this fight our Brigade was the strongest in our division, but she is not now. We lost the most men, for we were in the fight all the time, and I have it from Colonel Owens that our regiment lost the most in the Brigade. I know that our company went in the fight with 60 men. When we left Culps Hill there were 16 of us that answered to the roll call. The balance were all killed and wounded. There were 12 sharpshooters in our company and now John Cochran and myself are the only ones that are left. This day none will forget, that participated in the fight. It was truly awful how fast, how very fast, did our poor boys fall by our sides - almost as fast as the leaves that fell as cannon and musket balls hit them, as they flew on their deadly errand. You could see one with his head shot off, others cut in two, then one with his brain oozing out, one with his leg off, others shot through the heart. Then you would hear some poor friend or foe crying for water, or for "God's sake" to kill him. You would see some of your comrades, shot through the leg, lying between the lines, asking his friends to take him out, but no one could get to his relief, and you would have to leave him there, perhaps to die, or, at best, to become a prisoner. Our brigade was the only one that was sent to Culps Hill to support General Johnson. In our rapid firing today my gun became so hot that the ramrod would not come out, so I shot it at the Yankees, and picked up a gun from the ground, a gun that some poor comrade dropped after being shot. I wonder if it hit a Yankee; if so, I pity him. Our regiment was in a very exposed position at one time to-day, and our General Daniels ordered a courier of his to bring us from the hill. He was killed before he got to us. The General sent another. He was also killed before he reached us. Then General Daniels would not order any one, but called for volunteers. Capt. Ed. Stitt, of Charlotte, one of his aides, responded, and he took us out of the exposed position.

Gettysburg In Their Own Words

Today is the 146th anniversary of the second day of the battle of Gettysburg. Here is the diary entries for A.D. Betts, chaplain of the 30th NC (Ramseur's brigade, Rode's Division, Ewell's Second Corps). These are taken from Betts' "Experiences of a Confederate Chaplain".

July 1 - Division moves six miles by Middle Town and six and a half to Gettysburg and drive the enemy two miles. Col. Parker, Capt. C.N. Allen, Lieut. Brown and many others are wounded. Among the killed are: G.L. Swain, S.M. Hewitt, John C. Goodwin, John H. Mason, and J.B. Whitley.
Col. Parker's wound was in the face. The ball entered just below one eye and came out just below the other, cutting the nasal tubes. When I knelt by him and prayed for him and his wife and his children, he seemed about to strangle with the blood. I stopped praying and held my arm lovingly over him till he was quiet. He got home, returned to duty, and received another wound at Spottsylvania, and was then put on post duty.
Capt. Allen's arm was so broken up that it had to be amputated. His case will interest others. He had an idea that surgeons were fond of cutting off men's limbs. Dr. Briggs asked me to see him and try to influence him, for he refused to allow his arm amputated. Capt. Allen had lately married Miss Johns in Wake County, N.C. I prayed silently as I went to where he lay. Kneeling by him, I said, "Capt. I long for you to get home and see that lovely young wife, who is praying for you, but you will never see her if you try to keep that arm." We looked silently into each others eyes. After a while he said, "Mr. Betts, I wish you would call Briggs to me" I called Dr. Briggs! (Nine years after I met him in Wake. He took me to his home. Introducing me to his wife he said,"Bro. Betts, I want to confess to you in the presence of my wife that I owe my life to you." The reader must imagine my feelings.)

July 2 - Part of the day among wounded men. Visited Brigade in town. A fearful fight from 3 till 9 p.m.

July 3 - Move hospital early. Brother Stradley and I were riding over the fields from one hospital to another, when I fell from my horse at noon, not knowing I had fallen, and remaining unconscious for an hour. Loss of sleep and excitement may have led to the vertigo. God could take a man out of this world without his knowing anything of it. Col. Bennett wounded. Lieut. Connell of Co. G., killed.