CIVIL WAR REMINISCENCIES 1862-1865


Early February 1862, I with my youngest brother, left home to enlist in Emanuel's Independent Battalion of Cavalry then engaged in the patrolling the coast from Georgetown to the mouth of Little River. Its purpose was to prevent the landing by Blockading Squadron of our entire Atlantic Coast, of marauding parties to decoy away the negroes, pillage and burn the property of the rice planters who lived there. Our first camp was named "Rutledge" at the mouth of Murrell's Inlet, now a popular summer resort. This inlet was deep enough to admit the passage of schooners or small vessels, which frequently eluded the blockaders and ran in ladened with medicines,cutlery, cloth, etc., of which the Confederacy was in great need-- and taking out in payment therefor these schooners landed with cotton bales. Here our first engagement with the Yanks occured. The blockaders had discovered the presence of one of these which they attempted to burn with hot shot and shell from their war ships. Failing to do this, they landed in sailboats a large party attempting to march up the inlet and burn or take it over. But our cavalry protected and secreted behind a high sand dune near by, rushed out to prevent, and a spirited engagement, lasting for half an hour occured, We, armed with the carbine, a short cavalry gun, and they with their navy pistols as side arms. They left one dead in our hands, but we never knew how many dead wounded they succeeded in carrying off to their boats. The sight of this dead Yank from whom every drop of blood seemed to have run out, and his burial in a shallow grave scooped from the sand without casket or blanket, made a deeper impression than much bloodier scenes later in the war. At the time this occured, there were many of our people engaged in evaporating and boiling the ocean warter to make salt, a much needed article of which we had none and who vacated the coast like frightened rabbits for many days afterwards. We frequently did picket duty on Pawley's Island, several miles distant froma our camp and where our observatory had been erected to watch the movements of blockaders as they moved up and down the coast. This island gave the appearance of being artificial--formed by tides and winds drifting the sands, had only scrub growth of vegetation and one or two small shacks or houses, but now a handsome villa.  We remained here balance of that year and the battalion was ordered in January to report to Pocotaligo, now Yemassee and was merged with___________, another Independent Battalion, with the 4th South Carolina Regiment, B.H. Rutledge being made Colonel, William Stakes, Lt. Colonel, and W.P. Emanuel Major. The 5th and 6th regiments of South Carolina Cavalry were also here and one regiment of Georgia infantry, all under the Brig. General--"Live Oak Walker"--all engaged in guarding this section of the Company and protecting the Charleston and Savannah Railroad, the only line connecting these points. After repelling several attempted raids up the Coosaw and Combahee Rivers, we had more severe engagements in which the infantry participated with large forces which landed at Hilton Head and had penetrated almost to the Railway, but they were halted and driven back. Our regiment (4th) went into quarters at McPhersonville, a village of summer houses located among the pines by the rice growing planters, and supposed to be immune from the malaria nearer the coast and some twenty miles distant. Here we spent the summer of '63 doing pickett duty and watching the Yanks about Beaufort and Hilton Head, they picketing one side of the river that separated us and we on the other. Frequent conferences and conversations were held with them resulting in visits sometimes and exchanging tobacco for coffee and newspapers. But both sides observed their agreements not to molest the other and these visits were kept secret from our officers except a few. Early in March '64, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Regiments of South Carolina Cavalry, depleted of men and horses from service in Virginia, were sent back to South Carolina to recruit. The 4th, 5th, and 6th were sent to replace them. Arriving in Richmond, we were consolidated into a brigade under Gen. M.C. Butler in Gen. Hampton's Division. After lying in camp a few days at Brooks Creek in turnpike road, news came that the enemy were landing men from gunboats at White House on South Anna River and Butler ordered to hold them in check. Meeting and engaging with them at Hawes Shop on April 28. It was soon discovered that with their superior force, they were preparing to envelop and capture the entire brigade. A hurried retreat was then ordered and exposed to an infiltrating fire on both sides, the Brigade came out with a loss of about 20 per cent killed, wounded, and captured, but the reinforcements arriving, the Yanks were driven back to their boats. Our Company (F) had Captain and 1st Lt. mortally wounded. Sore from the loss of so many, the men found merriment in some incidents that occured. A private of our company, with knee cap displaced by minnie ball, was being brought out by ambulance corps on a stretcher and when the balls began to come too thick, asked to be let down--jumped off the stretcher and outran the whole crowd to the field hospital. A certain Captain of the Brigade with leg shattered by grape shot and dangling in the stirrup, was seen mounted on his superb horse jumping logs and fences in his mad flight to the rear. We returned to our camp at Brooks Church and after a few days were ordered to Northern Virginia to watch movements of Gen. Sheridan, mounted riflemen. These were western men, well mounted and armed with improved "Henry-magazine rifles" and fought like demons. Hampton's division met and engaged them on June 10th at Trevillian Station, near Louisa C.H., leaving the field with out dead and wounded in their hands that night. In this fight my youngest brother was shot through by minnie ball, was caried during the night to a private home and was given first aid by a Yankee surgeon, but some years later died from the effects of this wound. The next morning the fight was renewed and Sheridan was driven back and defeated. After much marching and some desultory skirmishes in Northern Virginia, we were returned to Richmond in time to participate in the 2nd battle of Cold Harbor, where Lee gave Grant a severe defeat. We were transferred south of the Potomac and stationed near Petersburg, which Grant soon began to infest for its capture. While there, Hampton took his command by circuitous march to the rear of their army, drove away over 100 beeves, helped themselves to the Sutler stores which they found there in great abundance. Day or two later occured the battle of the"Crater" , which we then thought was rage for their loss. We spent the balance of the summer around Petersburg, and once while bathing in Stoney Creek, was surprised by the enemy, who captured many of our men, including our only Lieutenant. The winter of '64-65 proved a hard one with much snow. We went into winter quarters at Belfield, Va., and built "Pole shanties" with clay chimneys. In September '64 the Yanks started out in force to capture Southside Railroad and so confident of success they brought along on wagon train the hand cars for use. Hampton's Division retreated before superior forces until late in afternoon there occurred an engagement I have never seen mentioned in any history. It was at Burgess Mill near the RR when Gen. Hampton's son --and on his staff--with many others were killed. Gen. Mahone's division, coming up and attacking Yanks in their rear they ran away, leaving their dead and wagon loads of guns in our hands. It was here I first saw and idolized more than ever, General Robert E. Lee. In February '65 we were returned to Columbia, S.C. to meet Gen Sherman, where we arrived in time to join Gen. Johnston's army in almost continuous retreat across the Carolinas. Some sharp engagements occurred at Fayeteville and Smithfield, N.C., but without decisive results. In Raleigh, N.C., we heard of Lee's surrender and knew ours would only be a question of time, which occurred about May 1st at Greensboro.. In our march across N.C., I with many others, lost my horse. Gen. Butler came into camp and told the dismounted men if they passed the wagon train or took a mule or two, nothing would be done, but there was nothing to feed them on. So we started out on foot in small detachments of two or three and walked home, which I reached may 10th, appalled at the destruction wrought by Sherman's march across the Carolinas marked by burned houses, desecrated churches, and with little left to sustain the life of man or beast. He afterwards said, "War was Hell", and he carried out that conception like a savage.

Hugh Milton Stackhouse