The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-02-03
LETTER OF EDWARD S. FOWLER, OF
THE G. A. R.

CHaTleSCOu, DeCeuuel 1V, Io'o'
LETTER OF EDWARD S. FOWLER, OF
THE G. A. R.
Following is the letter Of Mr.. Fow-
ler to his brother, herein referred to :
New York, November 16, 1896.
Mr.. Isaac W. Fowler, Aiken, S. 9.
My Dear Brother: Referring to
your letter of April 13 last, written
from Charleston, S. G., calling my
attention to an ''incident," the ac-
count of which appeared in the New
York Herald Saturday, April Is, 1865,
relating to the military commission of
the late Major Gen. Kershaw, Of the
Confederate States army, and request
ing me to ascertain for you any facts
and particulars that might be within
my reach regarding the subject, it
affords me pleasure to acquaint you
with the following
Upon receiving your letter | con-
ferred with several companions Of the
New York Commandery of the Militia
ry Order of the Loyal Legion of the
United States, and learned from one
of them, Lieut.. Col. A. G. NJ. Pen
nington, 4th United States artillery,
late Brigadier General Of United
States Volunteers, and who command
ed at the time one of Clusters cavalry
brigades. that Gen. Kershaw was cap
tured at Sailors Greek, April 6, 1865,
when Gen. Ewell's command surren-
dered. Gen. Pennington also inform
ed me that Gen. Kershaw gave his bay
mare to Col. G. A. Woodruff, and
suggested that Col. Woodruff might
be able to give me further details.
You can imagine my pleasure In
gaining this knowledge. especially so
when | realized that | was personally
acquainted with Col. Woodruff, and |
lost no time in writing to him. He is
Major of the I'd artillery and Brevet
Colonel, U. S. army, now commanding
Fort Warren, Mass.
At the time of Gen. Kershaw's cap
ture he was Lieutenant commanding
the light battery attached to Custer S
headquarters. He is one of the most
finished gentlemen in the army. His
father, the late Gen. Woodruff, was a
West Point graduate and always serv-
ed in the engineer corps of the regu-
lar army. Ny friend, Col. Carl A.
Woodruff, was appointed to the army
from civil life in 1861. He has always
been attached to the I'd artillery.
Col. Woodruff promptly answered
my letter last July, and sent with his
answer copy of very interesting
document over the signature Of Gen.
Kershaw, written at Camden, S. c.,
1876.
LETTER OF COL. c. A wooDRUFF, U.
Col. Woodruff letter is as follows :
Fort Warren. Mass, July q, 1896.
My Dear Mr.. Fowler: Yours of
23d inst. duly received.
T do not know anything regarding
the finding of Gen. Kershaw S COM
mission. l correspondent with the
General for years and met him several
times. He never mentioned to me
the loss of so valuable a document
I send you paper. Read it; show it
to Col. Pennington, then send it to
your brother to give to his friend, the
Rev. John Kershaw, of Charleston.
He may be pleased to have it.
When I sent the spurs back to the
General in 1875 he wrote me a long
letter, which [ am sorry | cannot find.
remember his saying "the spurs
came on the anniversary of my grand
sons birth. I have given him my
commissions, Mexican war and Con-
federate, also the spurs. y
l cannot find anything to show that
the 146th New York Volunteers was
at the battle of Sailors Greek, Va,
April 6, 1860.
Very truly yours,
earle 4. WOODRUFF.
secured the bay horse that Gen.
Kershaw rode aud it remained in the
possion of my family for ten years.
C. A. W.