The fight here was carried on until after the shadows of night (almost 9 o'clock). In the confusion and disorder of troops - during and after battle - my Company (I was 1st Lieutenant in command) was scattered and I could find only two of my men, Asa and George Green, brothers from Halifax County. We continued pursuing the broken ranks of the enemy, as we thought, when very suddenly in our rear a body of men was coming after us. It was too dark to see and distinguish the color of their uniform, and we were for a time in a sort of a dilemma. But halting, and putting on a fearless front I commanded in a loud voice "Halt!" No sooner commanded than obeyed and after the usual parlay an officer came forward and surrendered to me his side arms - a handsome sword and pistol - after which I ordered his men to lay down their arms and advance which they too promptly obeyed. Their surprise and chagrin can better be imagined than described when I ordered my command of two men to arise (they were lying down in the woods where thy had been clicking their gun locks to deceive them as to our number during the parlay with the officer not twenty steps off) and they saw that they - a Capt. J. A. Smith, Boston, MA with thirteen men had surrendered to a Confederate Lieutenant and two privates. The Captain asked, "Are these all the men you have?" to which a reply was evaded until we were safe within our own lines. It was a narrow escape for us.
The darkness having confused us, we had gone too much to the right of our line and found ourselves in short distance from a part of an unbroken line of the enemy reserves. Placing our prisoners with others under a detailed guard, we changed our direction and soon joined our command. After the Battle of Cedar Mountain I was taken sick and remained in Field Hospital for several weeks near Gordonsville or Orange Court House and did not engage in any part of the campaign that year, escaping 2nd Manassas, Sharpsburg, Harper's Ferry, etc. I rejoined the army in September after it had recrossed the Potomac and participated in the Battle of Fredericksburg on December 13, 1862. After Fredericksburg we went into winter quarters near Skenker's Neck on the Rappahannock. Here I fattened and developed into a stout man weighing 175 pounds. My improvement in great measure was attributable to the oysters and fish issued to us gotten from the Rappahannock. We went into the Chancellor's battle after our long winter's rest May 3, 1863 full of enthusiasm and confidence.
The result of that memorable fight is well known. Besides the loss of General Jackson our death list was a long one comprising many of our best subordinate officers and soldiers. The death here of our Adj. Howard Dupuy made his position vacant, to which I was commissioned by Secretary of War Mr. Seddon a short time afterwards. I continued to fill the duties of this office to the end.
---- From a letter written in Danville, Virginia,
I knew little about this great question that was agitating the country.
I only felt that persuasion was better than coercion. I could not see
that one section of our country, under the laws of seceding state, but
states. I could not reconcile it to my mind to join the army of invasion
and subjugation. Our ancestors had given their life's blood for the great
boon of freedom. When a call for troops was made upon Virginia, all the
patriotism of my boy life was aroused. In April 1861 my company was mustered
into the service and became a part of the 23rd. Va. Regiment VO1s (Co.
E) Colonel W. B. Taliaferro commanding. Our regiment was sent to West Virginia and took position at "Laurel
Hill" with other troops under command of General Garnett. Our march
from Stanton over the old Parkersburg Turnpike, about 100 miles was indeed
trying. I had never been accustomed to exposure. Consequently, the hot
June sun, long daily marches, and our rest at night upon mother earth,
(with only the broad canopy of heaven above us for shelter) no wonder
we were fatigued. After several days we reached our destination and were
soon confronted by Generals McClellan and Rosecranz with superior numbers.
After one skirmish with the enemy, we were forced to retreat. Not, however,
until we had demonstrated to him that we were a, "foe worthy of his
steel". On one particular occasion, while on the line of skirmishes,
I was suddenly confronted by a blue-coat less than 100 yards off. With
all the quickness I was able to muster, I fired upon him, disabling (or
killing) him, thereby saving my own carcass, as he was at that instant
preparing to shoot me. We retreated hastily from our position, the enemy
having by now gotten into our rear. Having eluded him at Beverly, we were
vigorously pursued and were compelled to stop and give battle at CARRACKS
FORD (Cheat River). Our regiment (being the rear guard) was the only one
engaged. It lasted 45 minutes. It was decisive in the fact that we were
not pursued further. Our command was moved to Greenbrier River in Pocahontas County where
we entrenched ourselves, to await the advance of the enemy from Cheat
Mountain. General Henry Jackson of Georgia commanded our forces, composed
of Col. Rusk (3rd Arkansas) Col. Ed Johnston (12th Ga.) Col. Fulkerson
(37th VA) and Col. W.B. Taliaferro (23rd VA). With our command this campaign
was an uneventful one except in one instance when the enemy advanced upon
us and became alarmed. Or, for some other reason did not come within reach.
They paraded in our view a short time, with a feint to attack us on the
right flank, then back again, to march back to its correct position. The valley campaign of 1862 ended. General Jackson joined General Lee
after hard and forced marches in time to engage in the historical seven
days fight around Richmond. No reader of history can form an idea of the
endurance of Jackson's men. Enured to hardships, fatigue and hunger, as
well as dangers of the battle field, well indeed may they be termed veterans.
No undertaking was too difficult for them as they would say if, "Old
Jack ordered it". The love for and confidence in their leader was grand and beautiful.
As General Lee said, "If Jackson had been at Gettysburg, the results
would have been different". After the smoke of battle had cleared
away and the Confederate capitol had been relieved of its threatened fall,
the first Maryland campaign was begun. Gen. Jackson met Gen. Hope in Culpepper
Cedar Mountain, August 9, '62. After a hard fought battle, at one time
almost a defeat to us, we gained the field and captured many prisoners.
An incidence occurred here which I will relate. The fight here was carried
on until after the shades of the night (about 9 o'clock). In the confusion and disorder of troops during and after battle, my company
(I was 1st. Lt. in command) was scattered and I could find but two of
my men, Asa and Geo. Green, brothers from Halifax Co. We continued pursuing
the broken ranks of the enemy when, very suddenly, we discovered in our
rear, a body of men coming towards us. It was too dark to see and distinguish
the color of their uniform. We were for a time in a sort of dilemma. Halting
and putting on a fearless front, I commanded in a loud tone, "Halt"!
No sooner commanded then obeyed. After the usual parley, an officer came
forward and surrendered to me his side-arms, a handsome sword and pistol.
Then he ordered his men to lay down their arms and advance which they
did. Their surprise and chagrin can better be imagined then described
when I ordered my command, (2 men), to arise. They were crouched in the
weeds where they had been clicking their rifles. Not twenty steps off,
they saw that they, a Captain (J.M. Smith, Boston Mass.) with 13 men,
had surrendered to a Confederate Lieut. and two privates. The Captain
asked "Are these all the men you have?" to which reply was evaded
until we were safe within our own lines. It was a narrow escape for us.
The darkness having confused us, we had gone too much to the right of
our lines and found ourselves in a short distance from a part of our unbroken
line of the enemies' reserves. Placing our prisoners, with others under a detailed guard, we changed
our direction, and soon joined our command. After the battle of Cedar
Mt. I was taken sick, and remained in Field Hospital several weeks near
Gordonsville (or Orange C.H.) and did not engage in any part of the campaigns
of the year (except 2nd Manassas, Sharpsburg, Harper's Ferry etc.) I rejoined
the army in Sept. after it had re-crossed the Potomac and participated
in the battle of Fredricksburg Dec. 13th., 1862. After some time of recuperation, General Lee began his Pennsylvania campaign
and fought the battle of Gettysburg, the Waterloo of the Confederacy,
July 1st, 2nd and 3rd, 1863. In this engagement our Brigade (Geo H. Stewart,
Gen. Commanding) was on the extreme left of our line, and our regiment,
as it happened, was on the extreme left of the Brigade. In the charge
on Gulps Hill the approach to the enemy's works was impassable on account
of the natural location of the position, with precipices on the entire
front except that part of the line immediately before us and further to
our left. We gained the enemy's breast-works and poured our fire up their
line to our right thus relieving our men of the other regiments of the
Brigade to our right from the murderous fire they were receiving, penned
as they were in a cave under a strong cross fire of the enemy. Here it was that while considered by my Colonel (S.L. Walton) a very
heroic, brave and daring act was never the less a very imprudent one.
When we gained the earthworks we discovered by the flashes of the guns,
it was dark, that these troops, the enemy, were firing in the direction
we had come from. The Colonel was puzzled and ordered his men to cease
firing and asked for a volunteer to ascertain and report what troops were
there. I offered my services and went forward between the two lines to
within pistol shot - 20 steps from the enemy - shot a Yankee soldier and
returned and reported to Colonel Wilton who at once ordered a charge down
or up the line about 300 yards. We held the position we had gained until
the next day when preparations for the retreat were begun. On May 5th, 1864 the Battles of the Wilderness and confidence. We met
Grant, determined to defeat him and right well did we fail him in his
plans. In this first engagement, May 5, '64 with the Yanks under General
Grant, the fighting was the most I ever witnessed. There were hand to
hand combats with bayonets in every instance. The old Confed. was on top.
A wounded soldier of my old Company, a man named Weatherford from Halifax
County, handed me his gun which I put to good use, getting the drop of
three Yankees who were in the act of shooting me. I fired first and they
fell. One fellow with his gun cocked already, a great 180 pounder, ran
to me with, "Surrender, Damn you". I was expecting his bullet
but surrender was a "No". Then in the heat of the fight he fell
down with his weapon cocked and clasped in death as if to shoot. We won
the battle ground, captured a battery with four pieces of artillery. I had here many narrow escapes and my clothes were bullet-riddled. The
remainder of the day we received the repeated assault of the enemy and
repulsed with great slaughter every attempt to break our line. From this
point in the Orange County wilderness, we next met the columns of Grant's
at the memorable battle ground of Spottsylvania where in May 12th, 1864,
during a heavy morning fog, our line was assaulted. Almost our entire
Division (Jackson's old Division) was captured. I attempted to escape
and would have done so with the best portion of our Regiment had not our
Brigade Commander, General Geo. H. Stewart of Maryland, ordered my return
to the works. I saw the enemy pouring over the works to our left. At the
same time with a volley we repulsed him in our front and starting with
all that portion of the regiment from Co. E to Co. K to leave our position
which was by then nearly surrounded. I met A.A.G. Captain Williamson, of General Stewart's staff, with orders
from that General to return to our position and hold it, that the men
we saw coming over our works were prisoners. Capt. Williamson never got
back to his General. His body was riddled with bullets. I finally, too
late, ran out and met a bayonet which struck me in the side of my head
and knocked me down. The blood streamed while thousands of Yankees passed
over me. It occurred to me that I should feign death until my opportunity
to escape arrived. A struggling Irishman seeing me, caught hold of my
hand and pulled me over. Forgetting myself I opened my eyes. He was glad,
for an excuse to get to the rear. The bullets by then were coming rapidly
and thick so he hurried me away. I passed through several lines of Yankee soldiers where I finally stopped
in a ravine with the other prisoners of our command. In passing to the
rear, I came across and took charge of a Confederate boy-soldier named
Bagby, 16 yrs. old, belonging to the Orange C H Artillery Co. He was lying
on the ground in severe convulsion. I stopped and raised his head as gently
and tenderly as I could. I had nothing to relieve his suffering. Soon,
recovering from his proxism, he became conscious. I assisted him to his
feet and started to look for a Yankee surgeon. He told me his name and
his company and added that, "My piece (his cannon) had just been
fired. I was unable to reload it because a Yankee soldier came up behind
me and gave me a severe blow on the side of my head. As soon as I recovered
from this stunning lick, I was brought to the rear and left here to suffer".
On reaching the ravine our of reach of bullets and cannon balls, I found
a surgeon who reported his skull badly fractured and in another severe
spasm, he died. I was hurried away and never saw the poor boy again and
suppose he received burial at the hands of his slayers with nothing to
mark the spot where he lay. Recollections of prison life at Ft. Delaware can never be blotted from
my memory. To the kindness to southern sympathizers in Baltimore and elsewhere
within the Federal lines, many of us are indebted for the only comfort
we had. We were both clothed and fed by these good people. The scanty
allowance of rations, old worm-eaten beans, tough beef and half-risen
hard bread - were barely sufficient to sustain life. I hope that all my
children will ever feel a debt of deepest gratitude to Mrs. Ann Eliza
Bestor and Miss Alice Kay Howard of Baltimore for their kindness to me
in furnishing clothing, books, and writing material without which I could
not have lived. We had many experiences at Ft. Delaware. The assassination
of President Lincoln was particularly exciting. We were not allowed by
the officers in command to gather in groups even to discuss the affairs
outside our barracks. For any violation of this order the guard was ordered
to fire upon us. Such was the feeling against the South and Southerners.
Then again the surrender of General Lee, while a source of rejoicing to
the Yankees, was a bitter blow to us. Many of us hoped for the final success
of our cause but there were alternating fears as to the results. After fully realizing the fact that General Lee had surrendered and our
cause lost, a few of our imprisoned officers declared that they would
never take the oath of allegiance to the U.S. Government, the only condition
of our release from captivity. But the larger number complied with the
proposed terms, and in the first part of June, the administration of the
oath began in alphabetical order, reaching me June 16th 1865. I was furnished
transportation to Danville, Virginia, spent a day in Baltimore visiting
some the friends who had so generously contributed to my wants while in
prison, came to Richmond, spent one night, and boarded train for Danville
in the morning, reaching News Ferry the same evening. ---As copied by his daughter
General T. J. (Stonewall) Jackson, commander of the Third Brigade met Gen. Pope in Culpeper at Cedar Mountain August 9, 1862 and after a hard fought battle (at one time almost a defeat to us) gained the fold and captured many prisoners. An incident occurred here which I will relate.
on February 11, 1897 by Charles Anderson Raine.Civil War Diary Exerpts 1861-1865
In this fight Gen. Garnett was killed, besides loosing our wagon train
and one piece of artillery with several prisoners. Our retreat was continued
without other engagements or incidents of interest except hardships, and
suffering, growing out of hunger, and long forced marches to Monterey
and McDowell in Highland Co., where relief in troops and supplies met
us. We remained in Monterey for a few weeks rebuilding in strength from
the hardships we had undergone while getting supplies of clothing and
provisions.
Early in Nov. 1861 we broke camp and marched to Winchester, Va. under
Gen. S.J. Jackson, the 3rd Brigade of Jackson's old division, famous for
the grand achievements made by this great General from his winter campaign
of Jan. '62. (Kerstrom battle, March 1862 up the valley to McDowell, defeating
Millroy, back again down the valley, routing and running Banks at Strasberg
(Front Royal) then back again up the valley, pursued by Fremont north-west,
and Shields East a sort of flank pursuit by Shields, until Port Republic
was reached where both were dealt with this staid hero in detail, defeating
both Generals, capturing many prisoners, several pieces of artillery,
and a quantity of small arms). The quickness and effectiveness of these
movements by General Jackson's troops engaged in this campaign (besides
additional glory to his greatness) caused them to be named, Jackson's
Foot Cavalry, by which they were called ever afterwards.
After Fredricksburg we went into winter quarters near Skeukers Neck on
the Rapahannock. Here I fattened and developed into a stout man, weighing
175 lbs. My improvement, in a great measure is attributed to the fish
and oysters issued to us, gotten from Rapahannock. We went into the Chancelorsville
battle after our long winter's rest May 3rd, 1863, full of enthusiasm
and confidence. The results of that memorable fight is well known. Besides
the loss of General Jackson, our death list was a long one, comprising
many of our best subordinate officers and soldiers. The death here of
our Adjutant, Howard Dupuy, made us a vacant position to which I was appointed
and commissioned by the Secretary of War, Mr. Seddon. A short time afterwards,
I continued to fill the duties of this office to the end.
My experience was uneventful from this time until the fall in November,
when from sickness I became disabled, and furloughed. In my absence from
the command our Colonel Wilton and Captain S.C. Williams were killed in
the battle of Mine Run besides my old friend and schoolmate, Lip Hobson
of Cumberland County. I spent my furlough partly with my father in Cumberland,
and with my aunt and sisters near Leaksville, N.C., and with friends in
Halifax County in Virginia. I rejoined the army in winter quarters near
Orange County, where I remained until the advance of General Grant across
the Rapidan.
We were marched through Fredricksburg, camping one night, in a drenching
rain without protection of any kind at Acgria Creek where we took boat
to Point Lookout as prisoners of war, May 14th. 1864. We remained there
about six weeks, undergoing all sorts of indignities offered the prisoners
by Negro troops, ex-slaves, who guarded us. We were removed to Fort Delaware
in an old transport, reaching there about the last of June 1864.
After greetings with my old friends in Halifax I went to visit my Aunt
and Sisters near Leaksmille, N.C., remaining with them until about the
1st of August when I returned to News Ferry and engaged in business with
Jennings and Edwards. Not withstanding the desolation of the whole country,
the scarcity of money and everything which go to contribute to the comforts
of life, there was a spirit of general pleasure and happiness that the
"war was over". Every man went to work with determination, hiring
their former slaves, who would remain with them, giving them shares in
the crops which in nearly every case was as satisfactory as could be expected.
Sallie Woodson Raine
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