The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-04-18
GEN. CHARLES VI. FIELD.
A Sketch of HiH Life and Military Career
from an Impartial Hand.

General Charles w. Field was born in
Woodford County, Kentucky, in 1918,
and is consequently go years old, al
though he carries his age we'll. His pa
rents were from Culpeper, Virginia,
where there are still many of the family.
In Kentucky Henry Clay took O. great
fancy to young Field, and the whole
Field family were ardent friends of
"Harry of the West" In 1S45 Field was
appointed to West Point through the in
fueuce Of ex-President Andrew Jackson.
He graduated in 1S49, and was assigned
to the Second Dragons, Colonel Harvey.
In 1856 he YVES promoted to lieutenant
in regiment of which Albert Sidney
johnson was Colonel and R. E. Lee
Lieutenant Colonel. The year following
he was assigned to West Point as COM
mander of the cavalry of that institu-
ton. Here he remained until 1861, when
the war between the States admonished
him that be must take sides. He resigned
and cast his lot with the South. Going
to Richmond he rendered his services to
the Confederacy and was assigned to
command the cavalry school Of instruc-
ton, near Richmond. Shortly after
wards he was given command of the
Sixth Virginia Cavalry. At the second
battle of Manassas he was made briga-
dier general for gallant and meritorious
conduct, but che battle cost him q
wound which came very near taking his
life. 1t is said that no general officer in
the war received so severe wound and
recovered. He was confined to his bed
for nearly year. In February, 1864.
he again took the field as major general,
and was given command of Hoods old
division, in Longstreet's corps. He
made very gallant and capable general
of division, and is nearly always spoken
of with praise in Lees official reports.
A Southern historian speaks as follows
of Field and his division in the closing
days of the rebellion: at was in the last
days of the Confederacy that Fields
division shone in its greatest and most
peculiar glory. To the very day of sur
render it was remarkable that this body
of troops was in prime condition, com.
pact and brilliant, partaking of none of
the disorganization around it, animated
by its glorious memories and retaining
its arms and spirits to the last"
A short time after the surrender, Gen.
Field himself wrote ''I am proud of my
division, always was, but never so proud
of it as on that black 9th of April, when,
for the first time on the retreat, our army
was all together, and I could compare
| their soldierly appearance and numbers
and bearing with the wrecks about me. !"
He surrendered nearly 5000 men,
nearly one-half of Lees army in arms,
During the memorable last retreat his
division was the rear guard. Atthe time
| of surrender, Gen. Field relates the fol,
lowing incident: Gen. Meade, whose
army was in the rear, sent request to
Gen. Field to conduct him through his
line, to Gen. Lee, who was a mile in
front. AS Meade, at the head of his
staff, passed through Fields division, the
men gathered along the route in squads.
attracted by the spectacle. The two gen.
| erals were side by side, conyersing,
when Gen. Meade turned to Field, with
the remark, "Your troops are very com.
plimentary to me-" allow so ?" asked
Gen. Field. "Why, they say l look like
| q rebel" "Do you take that for a COM
pliment?" said Gen. Field. ITO be sure
| do," replied Gen. Meade. "Any peo.
pie who have shown the courage and
spirit you have must have their admirers
everywhere"
| Since the war Gen. Field has been
| floating about, some of the time in Geor-
gia in Che insurance business, and often
! in Virginia with his relatives and those
of his wife. He lived a few years in
Egypt, having command in the Egyp-
tian army, but returned to this couatry
to spend his declining years and the bet
ter to educate his children.