The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-11-09

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from Lieut.. Wm. G.. Field OH the same
subject to Gov. Ellcrbc.) My connec-
ton as an officer was severed from the
battalion after its consolidation and
assignment to the Hompton Legion
under Col. NJ. w. Gary. In no sense
shnlld their leaving the command be
construed into desertion. They, as
they honestly believed, had complied
with the terms of their rc-enlistment
in the battles around Richmond fight
Jig with a gallantry equal to any, suf-
fering severely, especially at Seven
Pines and Fraziel's farm. There was
no company in the Confederate army
composed of more brave and gallant
set of men than Company "'B,1 Thir-
ty-sevcnth Virginia cavalry.
Yours truly.
j. G. HAWTHORNE,
Capt. Co. G, Fourth S. c. B.
Following is Col. Hoyt's statement in
the Greenville Mountdinccr.
ssThe Fourth South Carolina had its
baptism of fire in the very first hour OF
the First Manassas, rcpelling the first
charge made by the enemy on that day,
and steadily resisting the advance OF
superior numbers until reinforced and
rescued from a most perilous position
by the gallant Georsians under Barlow
aud Barnard Z. Bee. The regiment was
composed of troops from Greenvillc,
Picl1ens and Anderson, and was COM
manded by Col. j. B. Il. Sloan, nov of
Charleston. Upon the reorganization
in April, 1862, about one-half of the
regiment joined in the formation of the
Palmetto Sharp Shooters under Col.
Micah Jenkins, and the remainder was
organized into the Fourth battalion
under Lieut.. Col. Chas. S. Mattison, OF
Anderson, embracing five companies
commanded respectively by Capts. D..
G. Hawthorne and Henry A. Cauble, of
Greenville, ID. L. Hall and James Long,
of Anderson, and John H. Bowen, OF
Pickens. This battalion went through
the battles around Richmond, but was
diminished considerably at Seven
Pines and Frazier's farm, and Col.
MattiSon received IL disabling wound
at Seven Pines. A remnant followed
the fortunes of Jenkins brigade ut the
second Manassas and in the first Mary
land campaign, and when the Potomac
was .recrosscd the men who were left
became consolidated into two COM
panies, which were attached to the
infantry Of the Hampton Legion, then
under the command of Col. NJ. w.
Gary.
Upon the organization of the Fourth
battalion it was understood by the men
that they were rc-cnlisting for ninety
days only. but the conscript act'would
keep the majority in the service, and
so the bulk of them decided to remain
with the brigade. Between seventy
five and Il hundred Of the battalion,
however, considered that they hadbecn
dealt with improperly, and there is no
doubt that unauthorized statements
were made to them as to the extension
of their term of service. While con-
tending for Il release from the organi-
zation an opportunity was offered to
Join Dunn's battalion, which had been
assigned to service in southwest Vir-
ginia, and nearly a hundred men or
ganized Il company for that purpose.
Dunn's battalion was subsequently
known as the Thirty Virginia
cavalry. and this is the way that these
| South Carolinans became identified
with IL Virginia regiment, losing their
association with troops from .onr own
State.
This statement OF facts as we rccol-
lect them, is given as an act of justice
to those who We're our comrades the
iirst year OF the war, and many OF
them our intimate friends during Il
long period Of our lives. They were
ccnsurcd at the time for not acqui-
cscing in the situation, but they were
conscientious in the belief that when
the war department accepted their
services in Dnnns battalion all ilrcgu-
larities had been cured and the past
WAS Il sealed book. Others differed
with this view OF the matter, and when
Col. Gary was given the remainder OF
the Fourth battalion, he procured an
order from tllc war department for the
revolving company to report as part of
his command. In October. 1863, he WAS
visited by Capt. \. G. Earle. ut he
camp near Knoxville. Tenn, with the
view of arranging the matter in some
way, but Gary would not Yield his
ground. and insisted that Earle should
forthwith report with his company to
Che Hampton legion. This was never
done, however, and with the rapid pro
grcss OF events in the spring OF 1861,
when the ConlederatcS had all the
fighting they could do on every hand,
the company was llninolcstcd. and inc
men did good service under Bradley /.
Johnson, of Maryland. if we are not
mist ken until ihr close of thr war