The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-06-21
Letter From an Old Soldier.

| ueai' Inc pension board OF Union
county adjourned the first Monday in
March, last, all members of the board
being present-Dr. M. w. Culp, r. W..
Tlnsley, H. s. Porter, B. G. Wilburn,
and N. b. Eison, composing the board.
All expressed the thought that they.
had treated all old soldiers and widows
ct soldiers justly. Since then DR.. M.
w. Culp has gone. He was a first
class man and did not hesitate to do
his whole duty in every case towards
our old wounded and disabled soldiers
and wives of soldiers (widows). Next
II. S. Porter, an old soldier Of Co.
c, 7th s. c. Cavalry, was called to the
beyond. He did his duty as a SOL
der and as q. citiden and on the Pen
sion board, for several years and al
ways tried to do what was right; and
last, our old true and tried friend,
r. w. Tinsley. He was high pri-
vate in Co. C, 18th s. C. v. He was
wounded in the first battle of Cold
Harbor, Va, on June 9th, 1862, shot
through the right lung and left on the
battlefield as dead, later carried to
the hospital, and after long time
was furloughed and brought home and
placed on light duty. After the war,
summer of 1865, met him at my old
Uncle Andrew Floyd's, at Burned Fac
tory, on Tiger river. He asked me
about opening jewelry shop some
where. was living in Union at that
time and told him there was an open
ing for good man in that line, old
man Powell was not doing much, and
Christian Keisler gone back to Ger
many and A. Won Beiman too old to
do much, so he came in 1866 and he
rented tools from Mr.. ]. Ed Meng, and
later on he bought the tools. He mar
ried Miss Sallie Rogers and contin-
ued in the jewelry business and raised
large family. He lost his wife some
years ago. r. w. Tinsley was chaf-
ter member of Camp 70s ct. R. Giles)
United Confederate Veterans, at I'm
ion. was color bearer of this camp, and
later on was promoted to division
color bearer with rank as captain on
commanders staff, and held this posi-
tion up to the time of his death. He
was on pension board and did his duty
towards all concerned. He was a good
citizen and friend to all and will be
missed by the people of Union and by
me more than all the rest. Peace to
the ashes of all these members of the
board. We will have to have a new
board next year, as the other member,
Mr.. B. G. Wilburn, is candidate for
the legislature and will be elected.
On the 18th of this month, 1861, l
was color bearer of Co. E, 121 S. C.
V. I. We had fight at Vienna, Va,
with the Yankees. We did not lose
man; the enemy lost 800 or more,
killed and wounded and captured.
Our company being in front and near
est the Yankees, who were on board
a train coming from Alexander to
Danville, Va, on the Potomac river.
We charged and killed the first man,
a Yankee. l saw his head shot off
even with his lower jaw. They were
on fiat car and were playing cards.
All four were killed. This Yankee
with no head, held his hand of cards,
(hearts were trumps), and he held the
ace, jack and duce, and his partner
held the king and ten. w. H. Carlisle,
then private in our company, was
on my right, and said to me, "He holds
the best hand for dead man. w. H.
Carlisle is living in Texas now, and
is doctor. He was my mess and
terminate.
have a deck Of cards that I car
ried to the army January 18th, 1861.
They are all right except two cards
with corners torn off by James Nor
ris and V. Nethers in a difference
about game. They are both dead.
James Norris was killed at Hilton,
and j. v. Nethers died in Florida SER
vice during the war.
All of my mess-mates in Co. E, 1st
s. c. v. Infantry are dead but w. H.
Carlisle and myself. All in Co. B
18th s. C. v. Infantry are dead but
me, and all in Co. F., 9th S. C Caval-
ry are gone but me again. Mess
mates of Co. K, 9Th S. C. Cavalry all
are gone. My detail for private
guard at Gen. M. C. Buffers head
quarters are dead, namely, d. A T.
Farr, Clough Bishop, Joseph Hancack,
and Luke Swygert.
I have been requested by many
people, old and young, to write up
some incidents of the great war be-
tween the States. / will write again
but hope it will not be so sad.