The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-04-24

health, Is bearing up bravHly and has
her only surviving sister, Mrs. I.eyarc
Of Charleston with her. All of the
other members of The family are here
Ellison Capers' Career
brig. Gen. Ellison Capcrs. de-
scendans of an English family which
settled in South Carolina among the
earliest coloaists. WIS born in Char
lesion. October II, 1887. His father,
grandfather and several generations
Of the name belonged to the parishes
OF st. Thomas and st. Dennis in Char
lesion county. in Inc territory origi-
nallv called Berkeley county. His
mother was of Irish extraction, her
father, William McGill, having set
tied i'll kershaw county, upon comm.
from Ireland.
Ellison Capers was graduated at the
South Carolina Military academy in
November, 1857. The next year he
was il resident graduate and assist
ant professor i'll mathematics and
belle lettres in his alma mater. In
lSo1 he married Charlotte Rebecca,
fourth daughter of John Gendron and
Katherine Couturier Palmer of Cher
~ Grove plantation, st. John. Ber-
kelley, South Carolina. In the fall Of
this year he WAS appointed assistant
professor Of mathematics in the
South Carolina Military academy at
Charleston with the rank Of second
lieutenant.
The active state of affairs in Char
lesion durin" the summer and fall of
1860 reused the military spirit of the
people, and the First regiment Of
rifles was organized in Charleston, Of
which Lieut., Capers was unanimously
elected major. He served with his Re-
giment al Castle Picllney, and on
Morris, Sullivan's, James and John
islands. His regiment also constitu-
ted part Of the army under Beaure-
gard during the attack on Fort Sum.
ter. tIc continued to serve in the vi.
cinity of Charleston until November,
when he resigned the -unK or ncuicn-
ant colonel. to which he had been pro-
moteG, in order that he mi chit enter
The Confederate service.
Satisfied that Il terrible struggle
was before his people. he resigned his
prolesSorShip at the Military academy
and united with Col. Clement II. Stew
ems of Charleston in enlisting a reei-
ment for the war. The regiment was
mustered into the Confedcrate ser
vice as the Twenty-fourth South Car
olina Volunteer infantry, April l,
1862, with Clement II. Stephens as
colonel. Ellison Capers lieut. enant col
onel, and Fl. J. Hammond, major On
the 4th day of April he was ordered
to Coles Island, and on the 25th Of
May was transferred to James Is
land. On June 3, Companies y, B, d
and f. and the Charleston battalion,
under command of Lieut.. Col. Cap
crs. opened the James Island cam
paign.
In this engagement Col. ,Capcrs led
The attack, and for his courageous
and skilful management Of this affair
he was commended in general orders.
AT the battle of Secessionville, the
Twcnty-fourth was again engaged. and
Col. Capcrs was praised in orders. He
was next detailed to command a bat
terry Of siege guns at Clark's House.
Except at Pocotaligo the regiment
was on James Island until December
Is, 1862, when it was ordered to
North Carolina to the relief of Will
minGton, and stationed at the rail
road crossing of Northeast river, on
Island Ford road. On February 13
it was returned to South Carolina and
placed on duty in the third military
district CIV. S. Walker's). Lieut.
Col. Capers, with part Of his regiment
and other commands. was detached to
command the district between Com
bahce and Ashepoo rivers.
Charleston being threatened with
attack, the regiment was ordered back
to Seccssionvile, April 5, 1863. On
May 6 it left South Carolina for
Jackson, Miss, being assigned TO
Gist's brigade and eight days later.
while commanding the regiment, in
the battle at Jackson, Lieut.. Col. Cap
ers was wounded. About the last Of
August Gist's brigade was sent to
Gen. Bragg. 1t participated in the