The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-05-12
Capt. r. H. Jennings Address
Memorial Day, May 10, 1911, in NeDbery.

for, TO ME, a unique service; that is,
to make a public address. But as my
motto is. DO your best when duty
calls" I beg that YOU will not view
NE with a critics eye, but pass my
in?p3rfections by
To tell of my experiences in the late
unplesantness would take more time
than I have to spare and tax your
patience beyond endurance. I will,
therefore, have to confine myself to a
few incidents in my soldier life.
Ny first service was in Capt. E. F.
Bockter's company of State troops,
Richland Guards, on Morris Island, in
Charleston harbor, early in April,
1851, where I witnessed the lombard
n1ent and surrender Of Fort Sumter.
We remained On the island for about
a month, when We were moved up to
Eidseville, where We camped until in
June, when We were disbanded and
went home, where I remained until
the following fall. 1t may be interest
ing to state that I visited Morris Is
land more than forty years after the
war and found the Whole north end Of
the island swept away byth current,
created by the jetty which abuts the
beach on the east side. The change
is remarkable. II was said to be
eleven hundred yards from Cummings
point, where Stevens iron battery
stool in 1861, to the fort; now 1t is
said to be fourteen hundred yards, and
the face of the island is so changed
that I could hardly recognize it as
the same place. Such is the effect of
time and tide in this life.
In November l enlisted in Confed-
crate service for three years, or dur
ing the war, in a Fairfield company,
commanded first by Capt. A. P. 1rby,
and later by Capt. 3. NJ. Whitener.
We were sent to the coast of South
Carolina below Adams Run to Too
goodoo creek and picketed on White
Point. Our company was called the
Aiken Guards, and We named our
camping grounds Camp Brooks; We
were attached to Co.. George S. James
battalion of five companies from in
and around Laurens, one from Rich
land county and ours making seven
companies in all. Gen. n. G. Evans
being our brigade commander, but he
and Col. James could not agree, and
We were transferred to Gen. Drayton's
brigade.
In July, 1852, We were ordered to
Virginia, and camped in Richmond
for short time, when We were NOV
ed to Gordonsville and began our long
and tedious march to Maryland, meet
ing with the enemy at Thoroughfare
Gap in our first tight Our first gen
,eral engagement was Second Manas-
sas, in August, and we had one man
of Our company, R. R. Milling, wound
ed. On the first day of September We
were in a heavy skirnish with Pope's
retreating army at Ok Hill, known as
Chantilly, in which Gen. Kearny, Of
Mexican war fame, was killed. There
I saw Gen. T. J. Jackson (StonewalD !
for the first time If we had judged.|
him by his dress and general appear-i
alce he would not have Impressed US
as the great man and military genius
tL1S he was. He waded the Potomac
River. near Leesburg, Va, where Gen.
Evans brigade ran the Yankees into
the river in a former fight. From the
Potomac We marched to Frederick,
Nd, crossing the ,Monocasy river on
a railroad bridge, which was after
wards blown up by the Confed
We went into camp for a day or two
and bathed Our tired and dusty limbs
IN the river and drew rations. From
Frederick We marched through Mid
dletown and Boonsboro to Hagers-
town, and camped one day and night,
when We were ordered to retrace our
steps in a forced march back to-
Boonsboro, and met the enemy in
strong force at South Mountain Gap,
Sabbath, the 14th of September, and
in a hard fight against large odds We
suffered severe loss in killed, wounded
and captured. Our little battalion SUI
fered severely, we were 7anke1 on
right, left and in the rear Out of
one hundred and orty mea who ans
wered the roll tau IN the morning
seventeen answered next morning.
Our Lieut.. Col. George S. James was
Pioo u-o1,r1.