The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-04-18
GEN. CHARLES W. FIELD.
A Sketch OF His Eife and Military Career
hom TN impartial Hand.

General Charles w. Field was born In
Woodford County, Kentucky, In 1918,
and Is consequently 20 years old, al
though he carries his age we'll. His pa
Tents were from Culpeper, Virginia,
where there are still many Of the family.
In Kentucky Henry Clay took o great
fancy 70 young Field, and the whole
Field family were ardent friends of
Harry of the West" In l845 Field was
appointed to West Point through the in
fuence Of ex.President Andrew Jackson.
He graduated in 1849, aud was assigned
to the Second Dragons, Colonel Harney.
In 1856 he was promoted TO lieutenant
in regiment Of which Albert Sidney
johnson was Colonel and X. T.. Lee
Lieutenant Colonel. The year following
he was assigned TO West Point as COM
mander Of the cavalry of that institu-
tion. Here he remained until 1861, when
ths war between the States admonished
him that he must take sides. He resigned
and cast his lot with the South. Going
70 Richmond he rendered his services to
the Confederacy and was assigned to
command the cavalry school of instruc.
tion, 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 the battle cost him O
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 Longstree.s corps. He
made very gallant and capable general
Of divieion, and is nearly always spoken
of with praise in Lees official reports.
A Southern historian speaks as follows
Of Field and his division in tho closing
| days of the rebellion: "It 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
VI troops was in prime condition, COM
pact and brilliant, partaking of none OF
the disorganinetion 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 ri am proud of my
division, always was, but never 80 proud
of it as on that black 9th of April, when
for the first time on the retire It, our army
was all together, and 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 hii
division was the rear guard. At the time
of surrender, Gen. Field relates the fol-
lowing incident: Ger. Meade, whose
army was in the rear, sent request tt
Gen. Field to conduct him through hii
lines to Gen. Lee, who was mile il
front. AS Meade, at the head of hi
staff, passed through Fields division, ths
men gathered along the route in squads
attracted by the spectacle. The two gen
erals were aide by side, converting
when Gen. Meade turned to Field, with
the remark, "Your troops are very com
plimentary to me-" "How 80 p" asked
Gen. Field. "WLy, they say look like
@ rebel" "Do you take that for com.
pliment?" said Gen. Field. "To be sure
do" replied Gen. Meade. "Any PEG.
pie who have shown tho courage and
spirit you have must have their admirers
everywhere" ts. s
Since the war Gen. Field has beer
! floating si5;oiitt, come Of the time in Geo.
gia in the insurance business, and often
in Virginia with his relatives and b ose
| Of his wife. He lived few years in
| Egypt, having command in the Egyp-
tian army, but returned to this country
| to spend his declining years and the bet.
ter to educate his children.