USA > Alabama > Montgomery County > Montgomery > Directory of the city of Montgomery, and historical sketches of Alabama soldiers > Part 8
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Up to this time nothing had been heard from General Jackson, and the position was interesting and delicate in the extreme. Rumors were circula- ted freely that General McLaws had been forced from his position at Cramp ton's Gap, a point of great strategic importance to General Lee's immediat-
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command, and to General Jackson in his operations against Harper's Ferry. Had Mcclellan been able to occupy this gap, he could have easily thrown a large portion of his force between General Lee and Jackson, and pressing the former with the main body of his army from Boonsboro,' made the des- truction of the two divisions with him a matter of easy accomplishment. To add to this gloom and discomfiture, scouts from the direction of Sheppards- town and Hagerstown reported the capture of General Longstreet's ordnance train, by a body of cavalry from Harper's Ferry, and for a time the painful question of how to get out of Maryland, was the only one discussed ? There was one, however, who, whatever may have been his inward thoughts, show- ed no outward signs of misgivings or uneasiness, and it was mainly due to the calm and confident look of that good and great man, that the mere handful of men, worn down from fatigue and hunger, took heart again and showed themselves ready to follow where the trusty Lee might lead. Gen- eral Longstreet brought up the rear on the retreat from Boonsboro'. The enemy finding with daylight that our forces had been withdrawing during the night, commenced a leisurely pursuit. Our line of battle was formed, and the noble Lee awaited his attack. In the meantime, the cheering news of our success at Harper's Ferry wasannounced, and part of the troops engaged at that point were hurried to the support of this portion of the army.
The general result is too well known to need recital again. Notwithstand- ing our troops were broken down and half starved, the enemy was defeated, after a terrible and desperate struggle, and McClellan was content to permit General Lee to retire quietly and unmolested to the Virginia banks of the Potomac. After the brilliant affair of General A. P. Hill at Shepards- town, Va., in which the enemy were ambushed and badly used up, the army was withdrawn to Bunker Hill, a central position between Martinsburg, Charlestown and Winchester, from which point the troops were sent to des- troy the Baltimore and Ohio and the Winchester and Harper's Ferry rail- roads. Marches and countermarches were constantly made, taking the cir cuitous route to Berryville, Ashby's Gap, Paris, Manassas Gap and Front Royal, and Strasburg, back to Middletown, where the division encamped until the 25th of November. While at Middletown, the brigade commander paid the regiment the handsome compliment of appointing one of its officers temporarily to the command of one of the regiments of the brigade for drill and instruction, and afterward placing all the officers and non-commissioned officers of the brigade under his command for that purpose.
The enemy commenced massing at Warrenton, but soon after changed his base to Fredericksburg, and it became necessary to make dispositions to de- feat this movement. Forced marches were made from the Valley to Gor- donsville, (the distance, 101 miles, being made in less than five days, thirty miles of which was over rough and mountainous roads, ) and afterwards the Division was ordered to Port Royal via Orange C. H. and Fredericksburg.
On the night of the 12th December, the Regiment, with the rest of the Brigade, was moved back to Fredericksburg to take part in the memorable battle at that place, and occupied the third, second and first lines of battle, consecutively, until the enemy retreated to his side of the Rappahanock. During the latter part of April, General Hooker, puffed up with the idea of his own importance, imagined that he had been sent by a special Providence to recover the laurel of Federal arms, which his unfortunate predecessor (Burnside) had permitted to drop in his hands. Demonstrations were made, in heavy force, opposite Fredericksburg, and on the 30th the Regiment was formed in line once more near Hamilton's crossing. That night they were moved by the left flank, up the river, destined, in a few hours, to write in letters of blood the brightest page in the history of the 3d Alabama. No Regiment ever passed through an engagement with more honor and credit, or won more universal praise than it did on the 2d and 3d of May. It re-
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ceived high compliments from Generals Jackson, Stewart and Ramseur, be" sides the substantial fruits of three pieces of artilery and two stands of col- ors. For the length of it, this campaign is pronounced by many the sever- est of the war. The loss of the Regiment, in the two days' engagements, was 24 killed and 125 wounded.
On the fourth day of June the army was put in motion for the Pennsylvania campaign. Resting a few days near Culpepper court house, where a severe cavalry engagement was fought, it pushed on towards the Shenandoah Valley, crossing the Blue Ridge at Front Royal, and the regiment participated with the rest of the brigade in the blundering operations against about 1,500 men at Berryville, and on the 13th against Martinsburg, where a few prison- ers and five pieces of artillery were captured by Gen. Jenkins' cavalry. OD the 19th inst. the division crossed the Potomac for the second time at Williams- port, and moved on Hagerstown, Md., Green Castle and Chambersburg, Pa., where a halt was made to give the rest of army time to come up. The reception at Hagerstown, Md., was cordial beyond expectation, and showed plainly that a decided and marked change in favor of the South had taken place in the minds of the people since the army had entered the State nearly a year previous.
At Chambersburg the 3d Alabama was placed on duty in the city as Provost Guard, and many amusing scenes took place between the people and men, which want of space prevents detailing. The men were quartered in a theatre, decorated by the enemy in honor of the 'Heroes of Chancellorsville,' the chan- deliers hung with large letters-spelling 'Hooker House.' This incident is mentioned to show the arrogance and the perfect system of deception prac- ticed by the politicians to keep the people in the dark as to the real state ( f affairs. The first inscription was appropriate, however, for it was fated that the real heroes-Confederate troops-should be thrown into the very Hall decorated for those who had been so severely defeated and punished by them at Chancellorsville.
On the 26th theregiment was relieved from duty in the city, and ordered to rejoin the Brigade then on the march to Shippensburg and Carlisle. At the latter place a halt was made until the 80th, when the march was again resum- ed on the Baltimore pike through Papertown and Petersburg, taking the Gettysburg road at this point, and camping at Heidelburg. At seven o'clock on the Ist of July, the division moved on the Chambersburg road to Middle. town, and took the Gettysburg road again at this place. About 11 o'clock Gen. A. P. Hill's guns anounced the appearance of the enemy.
Artillery and staff officers were hurried to the front, and it was evident there was hot work ahead. The line was quickly formed on the right of the road, and moved forward nearly a mile, where it was halted under a heavy artillery fire, in support of Col. Carter's Batteries. The 3d Alabama was at that time in the front line, connecting with the left of Gen. Iverson's Brig- ade. Gen. Rodes gave the order in person to march the regiment back about two hundred yards, to connect with Daniels' Brigade, in the second line, and to move and keep connected with it. The latter part of this order was again repeated by him a short time afterwards. Being in the woods, and the rest of the Brigade on the side of a hill, the other Regiments compo- sing it could not see the 3d, when it moved at the order takeu up from Dan- iels' Brigade. Disconnected from the other Regiments, it moved with Gen- eral Daniels as ordered, and it was not discovered, until the men were un- der a heavy musketry fire, that they were separated from the rest of the Brigade. Finding himself thus isolated from the command Colonel (now Brigadier General) Battle immediately sent a message to General Dar iels to take command of the Regiment and direct it with his Brigade. The proffer being declined, it was determined, after a moment's consultation with two of the field officers, to march by the left flank, and, if possible, to regain the
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Brigade. This move was made under a terrible fire, and with the loss of a. number of officers and men.
[It is justice to say that General Daniels afterwards explained to Colonel Battle hat the message sent by him was misunderstood by the bearer of it. ]
After proceeding about a quarter of a mile, that gallant and accomplished officer, General Ramseur, came in sight with two of his regiments, moving to the support of one of the brigades of the division, which was being sorely pressed by the enemy. At his request the regiment was temporarily at- tached to his command, and in a few moments he led a gallant charge, dri- ving the enemy from a stone fence, and contributing vastly to the success of the day, which a short time previous seemed destined to go against our troops. General Ramseur paid the regiment a handsome tribute in his re- port of this battle.
About the same time, the dauntless Gordon, with his splendid Georgia brigade, broke the enemy on their right, and the whole line soon gave way in panic and route. They were followed, terror-s'ricken, through the streets of Gettysburg, but from some cause a halt was ordered, at a moment when a complete victory and the formidable heights beyond the city were in our grasp ..
[The object of h + hait has always been a mystery, and the mea can never be made to believe t at the cause did not receive a most fatal blow in it. The enemy wer without line or order ; their whole force in signt had been terr blv whipped, and at tha time the only organization visible wa' two pieces of field artillery, firing ra idly and at random. The next two days proved how disastrous the pause as to us. ]
On the 2d. the regiment with the rest of the brigade, was held in reserve until night, when it was again put forward to assist in a comtemplated night attack, but which was subsequently abandoned. At daylight next morning it was ordered, with the brigade, to the left, to support General Johnson, and after a sever: engagement, finding it impossible to dislodge the enemy from his strong -. hold on the mountain. the w ole force w s withdr' wn.
On the 4th of July, Gen. Lee retired + short distance, threw up works, and awaited the attacks of the en my. Finding that Gen. Meade was changing his position towards our flank, the army retired to Hagerstown, where it threw up entrenchments, in expectation of an attack, and rer ained there until the night of the 13th, when the apidly ising iver forced our troops to recross the Potomac, to prevent being cut off from su plies drawn from the Virginia side. The Army then marched to Darksville, where it remained until the 22d of July, when it became necessar, to move towards the Rapidan, which the enemy were trying to make ahead of us.
At Frant Royal they attempted to cut our column off from the main body of the Army, but failing in it, the march was continued to Orange Court House, via sperryville and Madison Court House.
On he 20th of August, Col. Battle having been promoted to Brig. General, the following offie rs wer appor ted to fill vacancies : Lieut. Col. Forsyth to be Colonel; Major Sands to be Lieut. Colonel; : apt. Powell, Co. B., to be M jor; D. R. Dunlap to be adjutant, vice Lieut. Picket appointed Capt. and Asss't Adj't General ; Private D. E Pras, Co. B., Sergt Major.
To meet the demonstrations of the enemy at Summerville and Morton's Ford, the regiment with the Brigade, was ordered there and camped at the latter place until the 14th of Sep ember. On the 18th of October the flank movement which compelled Gen Meade to fall back across the Rappahannock and evacuate Cul- pepper court House, was commenced.
After a brisk skirmish at arrenton Springs with a large force of Yankee cavalry, and tearing u the Or nge and Alexandria Road, the regiment returned to Kelly's and afterwards to Morton's Ford, exactly one month from the time it hads arte on the camp ign. Nothing of inter st occurred until the 26th of November, when Gen. Meade crossed below and made another movement against the right flank of the army, and the troops were disposed so as to frustrate this attempt. There was considerab skirmishing in the immediate front of the Division, in which the regiment wasatt. rked, but no regular engagement on that part of the line. After remaining in Ine of b'tt e for seven days at Mine Run, during very severe and cold weather, the enemy declining to m ke an attack, retreated across the river, and our troops eturned to their camps, and a short time afterwards went into winter quarters rear Orange C. H.
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On the 4th of February the brigade was ordered to Hanover Junction and Richmond to meet a movem nt from the Peninsula against the Capital. The enemy, however, abandoned the design temporarily. It remained there until the 16th of the mon h, when it was ordered back to winter quarters at Orange C. H.
In making this report I have found it impossible to mention the distinguished and gallant acts of indivi qual officers or men, without taking up more space than would probably be allotted to the regiment in t e work containing the history of the Alabama troops ; but have been compe led to confine myself to statements and facts of a general character, and to speak of the regiment as a whole. It was impossible also to men ion the other ga lant regiments of the brigade, who shared equally with the 3d Alabama the ho ors, toils and hardships of many battle-fields and marches, and to whom the State of Alabama will ever look with feelings of just pride and gratitude for their inestimable services in the great cause in which the South staked her all. C. FORSYTH, Colonel.
NEAR ORANGE COURT HOUSE, VA., April 9, 1864.
CANTY'S BRIGADE.
For a long time after its advent into the army of Tennessee, this famous brig- ade was familiarly known as the "Silver-spoon brigade," on account of the obstinacy of Gen. Maury at Mobile, in keeping it on garrison duty. It was composed at that time of only two regiments the 17th and 29th Alabama; com- manded respectively by Cols. V. S. Murphey, of Montgomery, an J. F. Conolly, of Dallas. The 17th fought bravely at the battle of Shiloh, and over two hun- dred of its gallant spirits perished on that bloody field. The two regiments reported to Gen Johnston at Dalton, in March, 1864, with twenty-four hundred men. which was by far the largest brigade in the ar y at that time.
The first engagement of the twenty-ninth was at R-saca on the 12th and 13th of May, in which it lost in killed and wounded, nearly five hundred men. This regiment was in front of the entire army two days and nights, and prouget on the general fight on the 15th of May, in which one gallant Lieut. Col. (E. P. Holcombe of the seve teenth) was so severely wounded as to render bim . nable for field duty for nearly a year.
The brigade in this battle won "a name that was not born to die," and the obnoxious sobriquet of the "Silver-spoon brigade" was never afterwards heard. It was engaged in all the battles from Dalton to Jonesboro; and lost in killed, woun 'ed and captured fifteen hundred men, including two-thirds of the field and line officers. The history of the brigade, in the disastrous Tennesse , campaign, (the first and 26th Alabama, and the 37th Mississipi, having been added to it) is known to the whole country. Gen. Hood has often been heard to say that the strategy of its commander, Brig. Gen. C M. Shelley, prevented the capture of Stewart's entire Corps at Franklin
The seventeenth and twenty-ninth after this campaign numbered only about two hundred men, with which number, and perhaps about one hundred that " fell in on the way-side," they reported to their first love, General Johnston at Raieigh, N. C. Nearly all the field, and two thirds of the line officers of the first, seventeenth, twenty-sixt and twenty-ninth Alabama, at this time had been either killed, disabled or captured. Major Turner, of the twenty-ninth, com- manded the brigade at Ben onsville, N. C., and lost a limb.
Of the officers of the seventeenth, we remember with just pride Colonel Hol- combe, Maj Burnett, Capts. Sadler, O'Brien. Hester, McMillen, Ragland, Tate, McCain and Burns, Lieuts. Rainer, Tutt, McMillan, McIntyre, Hull, Caffey, More- land, Dunklin and others. Of the twenty-ninth we remember Col. Conoley, Maj, Turner, Capts. Dew, Gardner, Abernethy, Hanner, Orean, Foster and others, many of whom ' sleep their lost sleep," or are limping on cru'c'es throug the land they have helped to immortalize. At the consolidation in North Carolina the seventeenth, twenty-nin h and thirty-seventh Alabama were united, num- bering about, 400 men. Col. E. P. Holcombe, of Lowndes county, was made col- onel. Cap'. J. F. Tate, of Russell county was made lieutenant colonel, and Capt. Benjamin Screws, of Barbour, was made major. Soon thereafter the crushing news of Lee's surrender was received, and here the bright record of Canty's brigade ended.
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TWENTY-SIXTH REGIMENT ALABAMA INF'Y. -0- A want of thorough information prevents me from entering into what I deem a true history of this Regiment-the part it bore in the many ardu- ous campaigns and sanguinary battles of the " Western Army "-of which it was a member from the time the troops of General A. S. Johnston were assembled around Corinth, Miss , in 1861, till the surrender of our flag on the 26th of April, 1865.
A battalion, consisting of seven companies, under the command of Wil- liam D. Chadwick, of Huntsville, Ala., was consolidated with a smaller bat- talion, from the interior of the State, and formed the Twenty-sixth Regi- ment. This organization was perfected a few days before the battle of Shiloh, in which engagement the regiment bore a conspicuous part, and by the gallantry and heroism of its officers and men-many of whom were killed and wounded-elicited the praise and admiration of the distinguished and lamented soldier, Brigadier General Gladden, in whose brigade the regi- ment fought.
The character of General Gladden as a soldier and a gentleman is famil- iar to the country. Many summers had passed over his head as his frosted locks plainly told, but the fire and spirit of youth returned to his bosom when the harsh tocsin of war pealed its stirring notes over his native land, and old as he was, he was among the first to unsheath his sword in defence of our rights. He was kind and good to his men, though at times impulsive and seemingly harsh, yet the sincere and persuasive manner in which he would make amends for an unguarded speech, never failed to bind the aggrieved party more closely and warmly to him as a friend.
He was wounded in the arm in the early part of the engagement on the morning of April 6th-soon after receiving which he passed down the line, his arm dangling by his side, his face flushed, and burning with that wild and indescribable excitement that a battle alone can give. I can never forget his words of encouragement-his last speech, as he turned from us with the big tears streaming over his cheeks-"Go on my brave boys, they have hit 'Old Dad;' I know you will drive every Yankee before you into the Tennessee river." The unwelcome intelligence now passed from lip to lip down the line, " they have wounded 'Old Dad,'" (a sobriquet given him by his men, which is but an evidence of the affection they bore him); and even there and then, under those appalling circumstances, while comrades were falling and bleeding by our side-while shot and shell were whistling around us-many eyes filled with tears-many hearts felt poignant grief-as we were told that our leader had fallen.
The amputation of his arm became necessary, and at his extreme age it could scarcely be expected that he would survive the dangerous operation. After several days of intense suffering he expired in the town of Corinth, at an advanced age in life, leaving a name and character which the breath of slander has never assailed, whose escutcheon is unstained, and whose short record in the army is a part of the glorious history of the South, which claims the admiration of the world.
At the time the Twenty-sixth Regiment was organized, the twelve month's term of the Seventh Alabama regiment was expiring, and Colonel John G. Coltart, of the Seventh, was appointed to take command as colonel of the Twenty-sixth; W. D. Chadwick. as lieutenant colonel ; -- Gwin, as major. Under these field officers the regiment fought the battle of Shiloh. Colonel Coltart is of Scotch extraction ; tall and manly appearence, with a
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deep blue eye, light hair and complexion, and about thirty six or eight years of age. He possesses a great deal of the ardor and enthusiasum charac- teristic of the natives of Scotland, all of which was fully developed in the early enlistment of every feeling and sympathy of his heart in behalf of the South. He is a resident of Huntsville, where he has liveed for many years, in the enjoyment of the confidence and esteem of many friends. He was honored with the captaincy of the first company that left North Alabama, (the Madison Rifles) and at the organization of the Seventh Alabama, was elected lieutenant colonel under S. A. M. Wood, of Florence, as colonel, and by the promotion of this officer he became colonel, which position he filled to the entire satisfaction of his regiment and superior officers, until the term of service for which the regiment enlisted expired In the first day of the battle of Shiloh, Colonel Coltart while actively engaged in the discharge of his duties received a painful wound in the ankle, which com- pelled him to leave the field. He was known to all as a most zealous and efficient officer-never faltering or wavering in the hour of danger, and always ready to lead where he directed his men to go. He was a martinet in discipline, yet his requirements of his men were predicated upon good strong practical sense, and always promotive of the interests and good order of his command. His impartiality as an officer served to secure the esteem of his men and officers equally as much as did his unquestionable courage and gallantry on the field.
After his retirement from the field of Shiloh, the command of the Twen- ty-sixth devolved upon Lieutenant Colonel W. D. Chadwick, whose conduct in the first battle of Manassas, while acting captain of the immortal Fourth Alabama, had won for him both far and near the title of the "fighting par- son." His conduct, his fearless bearing and the skilful and prompt manage- ment of his regiment on the field of Shiloh, added to his merited reputation as a soldier. Many who participated, and others who witnessed, can never forget the bold and daring charge that he led on the enemy in strong position behind a large barn, which effected the capture of the Federal brigade of General Prentiss. Colonel W. D). Chadwick is a Presby- terian minister, in which capacity he has officiated in Huntsville, Ala., for a number of years ; much beloved by those whose spiritual welfare has been entrusted to his watchful care, and highly respected and esteemed by the entire community and all who know him. He is a man of sterling integrity, and great moral worth, and amid all the vicissitudes, trials, and temptations which besieged and beset a soldier's life, he never even momentarily forgot or lost sight of his duties as a christian, and the high and sacred position he held as a minister of the gospel. His exemplary course, his consistency as a christian, the high consideration and respect he entertained for his men, the zeal and energy he evinced in supplying their wants, his kind and gentle ministrations to them in sickness has endeared the name of Colonel Chad- wick to all who served under him, and invoked the blessings of God upon his head.
Major Gwin was also wounded in the battle of Shiloh, arm broken. A very limited acquaintance with this officer prevents me from giving a sketch of his character. He was quite a young man to be, at the early stage of the war, a field officer, but his conduct on the field convinced those who fol- lowed him that he was worthy the position be filled.
The Twenty-sixth Regiment after the battle of Shiloh, and the death of General Gladden, was placed in the brigade of General Gardner, an efficient and able commander, who afterwards was made the commander of Port Hudson, and was specially distinguished for his able and heroic defence of
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