The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-04-17
SARGE pI.UNKFT1'
Trying TO Find the Friends CT a Dead
Confederate Soldier.
.ttiunfd Constitution.

friends OF Onlcueratc soldier hiiricu
near I'anthcrsyillc thiuy-onc years
ago.
1t is natural that the approach of
Memorial Day should stir up the mem
orics of the war The people Of my
settlement have pet -ravc in l"ncly
wood that is always remembered upon
this occasion. OF course, the poets
arc the most enthusiastic over this
grave. and have received many verses
about it.
The story of this lone grave may
not be of so much interest to the gen
cral public, but there is somewhere
somebody that holds in happy remcm-
brancc the soldier that sleeps so peace
fully there
In the month of August, 1864, Shcr-
man, with his army, laid siege to the
city of Atlanta Bands of the invad-
ing army made excursions into the
surrounding country to gather what
ever they could find of the substance
of the country people. 1t was almost
an every day occurrence for these
cruel foraging parties to make their
appearance in the County Of Dckalb.
They were terror, and no opposition
had ever been offered them until the
heroes of this story organized and
gave them welcome whenever the op-
portunity presented itself. At the
time q cOnyalcsccnt camp of Confcd-
crates was established ut Flat Shoals,
on South river. 1t WAS from these con-
valescent soldiers that Il little band OF
volunteers was raised to watch and
meet these foragcrs. Upon hot day
in August, 1864, the news spread that
band of these foragcrs, more heart
less than ever before and stronger than
usual, were stripping the women and
children of the little they had and
making themselves terror to the
Confederatcs found. This volunteer
band of convalcsccnt Confcdcratcs was
soon upon the warpath, determined to
create a dread upon the foragcrs. The
Confcdcratcs left the shoals and for
two days they logged the foragcs be-
fore the final fight came on in which
the soldier of this lone grave gave up
his life. The Confcdcrates had grown
into regiment of about Il thousand
strong by receiving into their ranks
any who were disposed to join in their
line of march. There were two regi-
mcnts Of yankee cavalry upon the
other side and the wagoncrs that we're
turned into soldiers in an emergency.
The fight was at last brought on by
the Confcdcratcs making a dash into
the wagon train. The yankees we're
we'll ofliccrcd, and as hot fight cnsu-
ed as was ever seen by such number.
In this fight the soldier of this lone
grave was killed, and it is easy to see
how his friends have never known Of
his fate. Perhaps there was not
man that he knew among the whole
command of his convalcsccntrcgimcnt,
and thus, somewhere, he is remember
ed only as the soldier that never re-
turned. and has been mourncd for by
some dear ones whose hearts may be
chccred by knowing of these circum-
stances. OF course, many were killed
and wounded upon both sides, but
this soldier having fallen in thick
cluster Of pines was left where he fell
under tile pines that have grown and
that still sigh above his lonely grave.
Mr. \. {. Tugglc, now a very old man,
vas the gentleman that buried this
soldier and he can best tell of the
burial in his own way.
eyes" said Mr. Tugglc, when ap.
preached upon the subject, 81 well
remember the visits of the foraging
parties from the army around Atlanta,
and | we'll remember the battle in
which this lone soldier lost his life.
Late one afternoon, upon the day OF
the fight, DR.. II. j. Fowler came to
my house and Informed me that
Confederate soldier had been left un-
hurled in the skirt of woods where the
fight occurred. at once jumped in
an effort to give the soldier the most
decent burial that the circumstances
would admit of. Being somewhat of
carpenter, went to work upon lum-
Der that had and made Il rough plank
coffin. 1t was late at night before the
coffin was completed; then | procured
the services of John II. Crowley. then
small boy, together with the assist
ancc of an old negro man, and With
the coffin upon our shoulders We start
cd out to find the dead man. We had
no trouble in finding the soldier, as
the place where he lay had been 50
we'll described to us by DR.. Fowler.
The times were troublous, We lived in
dread of yankee scouting parties, and
so the burial was performed hastily
and as quietly a< possible. We dug
the grave right beside the dead man
81 that We would have no trouble in
lifting the corpse. Wrappln" his
blanket around him, pulling the cape
of his gray cloak over his face and
putting his cartridge box under his
head fora pillow, we lowered him into
the grave. The work was hastily per-
formed and roughly. and We had moth
ing but the moon and stars Tor a
light.
This is the simple story Of this lone
grave. Mr.. Tu@glc was thoughtful
enough to secure all the evidence of
the soldiers identity that could be
had under the circumstances. HIS
name, as learned from small TeSta
mcnt lie carried. was j, B. Wheeler,
Of the Fourth Georgia cavalry rcgi-
mcnt. This was all the information
that has ever been found. He was
shot through the head and must have
died instantly. The ball entered Just
abuvc the right eye, passing out just
above the left car.
Thirty-onc years have passed since
this soldier fell and perhaps through
all these years there has been some
one, somewhere. living in Il sad s'ls-
pcnSc over the fate of his never having
returned to his home. Ifthcrc be any
loved ones still living that will feel
chccrcd over the information here
given. the nbicc nf the writer is ar-
complishcd Nlr. 'russlc feels c>prri-
ally anxious that the friends Of this
soldier should learn these circumstan-
crs. and in case Il removal Of the body
was desired he will lend any assistance
in his power In this connection it