The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1907-09-05
A CONFEDERATE SOLDIER
BY J. M. SHEPHERD

1OO1s 1 0uIlSb0u lned company buAb was
being made up for the Confederate
States Army on the 10Th day Of, October.
I left my home on my t~wenty-6rst BIRTH
day, and the company assembled and
was organized in Hen~dersonEille, and
was known as the Hendersonville Rifes,
The following officers were elected:
Joe r. Johnson, captain; w. g. B.
Morris, lst lieut.; Joshua Garren, End
lieut.; Allen Case, 81 lieut. ; Isom ,Tay-
Tor. orderly sergt., and . full line Of
non-commfssioned officers.
On Oct. 21st, at IL o'clock we fell in
line, about lis men strong, and marched
t or near Marion, where we boarded
the train for Raleigh, which town W
reached in about I days. There we
went into a camp Of instruction, and
drilled and prepared for winter quarters.
The camp was known as camp 1angum.
In January '62, went to Newbern,
whore the Both regiment was organized,
our company being Co. G.
In March, Burnside started up the
Muse River with a heavy feet. Our
command was hurriedly sent down the
river to repel his army, armed only
with smooth bore muskets. w spent
the night quietly. Next morning Col.
Sinclair formed a hollow square and
offered a fervent prayer and said he was
ready.
The feet saw us and began to she'll
the woods. We did not stay long. We
hurried out up the river, about I5 miles
from Newborn. 1t vas raining and we
got to our b~rsastworks at Fort Fisher in
the evening. Our company was detail.
ed for skirmish duty during the night
It wa a hard job. About 7 O'Clock Ia
the morning the Yanks came in sight,
deployed to the right and to left and
forEed line of battle and then the ball
was opened.
Our line ran from Fort Fisher, cross
ing railroad in the direction of q Block
House that was built later. The militia
on the railroad gave way. Then the
Yankees came in on our rear.
1 have always remembered . circum-
stance that occurred there. w. f.
Hips, O. gallant soldier, was loading and
FREEING, putting in good work. / noticed
he was as he inserted his ar
fridge. I asked: "What in the hi are
you shaking for?" He said. 81 never
go TO shoot a beef but fmAke me shake"
and kept on firing at the Yanks in our
front and rear.
We had to 60 about 1--WE miles to New
bern and cross Trent River In n hurry
on to Kens:on, hungry and foot sore;
1t was q bitter experience. Our COM
pany was quartered in a Baptist Church
a few days and then moved on to Wise's
Fork, to what was known as Brush
Camp, VIII re the army was re-organized,
the ola men retiring, and all the able
bodied men re-enllsted and received
$4,000 bounty.
We soon went to Richmond, fought
through the Seven Days fight AND
wound up al Malvern Hill. Talk about
battles, that was one of them. g
Mcclellan left Richmond badly don,
up. We then began preparations for
the Maryland campaign.
We crossed the Potomac River q
Leesburg, Va, and after resting a few
days, marched up the river to Poln
Rock, and crossed over the river into
old Virginia, near Harper'S Ferry and
then across the mountain to, Shepher,
Town, then over into the SharpsburI
country, which was a warm" place
Men fell thick and fast on both sides
It was there that gallant Captain Wat
Bryson was killed, and no better MAJ
ever lived. Ican't say as much abou
him as he deserved. John ). Case wa
promoted to the c~aptaincy of Co. G..
We came back to Virginia, Martins
burg, Winchester, Charleston, etc. Tn
next battle was fredericksburg, from
Dec. 18th to the 18th. Our regiment, tn,
35th N. O., support Q battery, and wa
exposed toa CALLING fire and not allowe'
to return it. I had a very close cal
nySCA1s AS VIC 10y IL AAAU "a O1bbI0
shell bursted in front of us. killing
three men and wounTing two; JohI
Camp, Erwin Case and Robert Stepp
were killed, Ben Taylor and anothej
man wounded. 1 could have laid m!
hand on any one of them.
That night / went up on the hill anC
Hooked over the battle field toward the
city. It was hartrending. There lay
thousands Of Yankees calling for theil
friends, for help and for water, and no
being able to do anything for them. W.
then changed position, fell back and got
rations, which was highly appreciated
That wound up the campaign of 1868.
We marched back and fourth and finally
back to Richmond aud Drury's Bluff
until spring ope ned, when things began
10 get hot again.
The battles of Drewer's Bluff, Wire