USA > Alabama > History of Company B (originally Pickens Planters) 40th Alabama Regiment, Confederate States Army, 1862-1865 > Part 6
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Friday, fierce and continued sharpshooting. Au- gust 13th, Saturday, quiet in morning. Charge against Stovall's line of pickets in evening. Line taken. Sent letter to wife Angust 14th, Sunday, in trenches. Sharpshooting and cannonading con- tinues all day. August 15th, Monday, fair. Usual firing. In same position. Sent letter to brother. Cloudy. No charges today. August 16th, Tuesday, usual firing. Received letter from Lieut. Latham of August Ist. 140 men of 40th Alabama on picket, Lient. Monette chief. August 17th, 1864, Wednes- day, fair. Skarpshooting continues. Artillery little less severe. Received letter from Lieut. Latham of August 8th, 1864.
The army lines are in semicircle around north and west sides of Atlanta from Peach Tree Creek on right to East Point on left, and lines daily being extended to left by enemy. Our forces as they reach to left confront them. The lines are weak- ened for that purpose in many places. The men in main works are a yard apart, but the hne is made very strong and almost unassailable by abattis in front of the main works. It is now a question which army can outreach to the left. In this month several Yankee raids have come to grief, the most formidable of which was Stoneman's. 3,000 raiders have been captured this month, and their artillery and baggage and horses, and the others driven off. Before capture and defeat they destroyed a good deal of property, and cut the Atlanta and Macon Railroad and other roads. The Macon road was soon repaired. Stoneman was captured. August 18th, 1864, Thursday, heavy skiimishing in front of Divis- ion today. Charge by enemy in evening repulsed. Heavy fighting on right and left, results not known. The enemy shell Atlanta day and night. August 19th, Friday, fair. Skirmishing on line. At 1:00
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p. m. heavy fighting on right and left. August 20th, 1864, Saturday, rain last night. Skirmishing early. Rain in evening. 40th Alabama for picket, Capt. Willett chief. Raid in rear repulsed to-day. August 21st, Sunday, rainy and cloudy. Heavy sharpshooting and cannonading continues. Rain in evening. Relieved at dark by 37th Alabama. Heavy rain. August 22nd, Monday, Brigade moved to right 200 yards. Stovall sent to left of Division. Skirmishing all day. August 23rd, 1864, Tuesday, beautiful day. Sharpshooting and cannonading con- tinues. Raid in rear repulsed. Gen. Wheeler with cavalry force gone to rear of enemy. Saw Sam'l G. King. Got my baggage for first time during cam- paign. It was brought by Sergeant Sanders with Gen. Baker's baggage. Overhauled it and got pair of pants. Needed them. Old ones worn out. Left my baggage in care of King. August 24th, 1864, Wednesday, cannonading and sharpshooting before light. Continued all day. Detail of 150 men of 40th on picket. At 9:00 p. m. Brigade ordered to move. Thought to be on a secret expedition. Com- Picket relieved.
mand marched at 9:30 p. m.
Marched to depot at Atlanta and bivouaced. August 25th, 1864, Thursday, in two trains at 6:00 a m. Left on road to Macon with sealed orders. Maj. Kinlock Falconer A. A. G. of Gen. Hood intimated to me that we might go to Mobile. Arrived at Macon. Most of the command thought we were sent to repel a raid. Left in two trains for Columbus, Georgia, at 2:00 p, m. Made the run to within twenty-three miles of Columbus before night. Bivouaced on trains. August 26th, 1864, Friday, at 2:00 a. m. on same train started for Columbus. Arrived there at 10:00 a. m. Met Lient. Latham from home return- ing to command. Received letter from wife. C. S. Elmore was taken very sick on train. We left him
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in hospital in Columbus. B. Elmore was there in hos- pital. At 2:00 p. m. started on trains for Opelika, Alabama. Arrived there at 6:00 a. m. Brigade bivonaced. Had to remain until next morning for completion of break on railroad made by raid of Rosseau. August 27th, 1864. Brigade left on two trains for Montgomery, the first that had run through since railroad was torn up. Left at 9.00 a. m., arrived in Montgomery at 2:00 p. m., mailed letter to wife. Capt. Willett with Company "B" left in passenger train at 2:30 p. m. for Pollard. Balance of Brigade remaining for other trains. Arrived at Pollard at 2:00 a. m. August 28th. Sun- day. Left at 2:30 for Tensas, arrived there at 2:00 a. m. Took boat Senator for Mobile, arrived at Mobile at 9:00 a. m. Bivouaced in street. The 40th Alabama left Mobile 2nd December, 1862. Between these two dates nearly two years of war had made great changes. Left with 600 effective men, and now returned with about 100 effective men. Maj. Gen. Gardner ordered the command back to Tensas. Took 2:00 o'clock boat and returned. Brigade or. dered back to Carpenter's Station. Rain in evening. Took 5:00 o'clock train and arrived at bivouac at 6.00 p. m. Much rain and very muddy. August 29th, 1864, Monday, at same bivouac in piney woods. Sent letter to wife from Mobile yesterday. Our coming to Mobile from Army of Tennessee was very unexpected to us, though delighted with the change. August 30th, Tuesday, early ordered to Blakely. At 8.00 a. m. took cars for Tensas, then boat to Blakely and arrived there at 10:00 a. m. At 6:00 p. m. ordered to Spanish fort. Marched to Sibley's Mills by 8:00 p. m. and bivouaced. 84th and And to go into camp. 54th ordered to Pollard. August 31st, Wednesday, at 6:30 a. m. 40th put on march for Spanish Fort. Arrived there at 4:00 p. m. and bivouaced. Rainy.
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September 1st, 1864, Thursday, established camp at Spanish Fort. Companies B, D, C and A sent to Montrose to pieket. "F" detailed guard on boat Mary Stone. September 2nd, Friday, picketing on bay at same place. Companies "B" and "D" did not go to Montrose. 37th and 42nd Alabama ar- rived at Fort. Large number of slaves at work there on defenses, and Alabama Reserves also on duty there. September 3rd, Saturday, picketing on bay. Received official notice from Surgeon Craw- ford, Fair Ground Hospital No. 2 at Vineville near Macon, Georgia, that 2nd Junior Lieutenant Eli D. Vance wounded on 28th July, 1864, died of his wounds on 23rd day of August, 1864. He was un- married, 28 years old, a good and brave officer and soldier. He left a widowed mother and sisters in Pickens County, Alabama, in indigent circum- tances. Enemy's fleet in sight in line off obstruc- tions but making no demonstrations. September 4th, Sunday, usual quiet. Brig. Gen. Baker sick. Col. Highley absent. Capt. Willet in command of Brigade until Maj. Gully returned from Holly- wood. Companies "B" and "D." put on march to Hollywood on account of gun boat laying close off Short's Wharf. Arrived there six miles at 3:00 a. m. September 5th, Monday on the alert. Gun boat still off Short's Wharf. Left in evening. September 6th, Tuesday, all quiet. Boat came at night and left at sunrise. Company "F" came down and went into camp near Montrose. September 7th, Wednesday, usual quiet. Gun boat piekets off Short's Wharf at night. September 8th, Thursday, qniet. Gun boat come to wharf at night. September 9th
and 10th quiet. Doing usual picket. "A" and "D" at village, "B" and "C" at Hollywood and "F"' at Montrose. September 11th, Sunday, picket estab- lished on road in rear. Received letter from wife of
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7th. September 12th and 13th, Capt. Willett still in command of 40th Alabama. September 14th and 15th, Wednesday and Thursday, quiet. September 16th and 17th, usual quiet. Caught many flounders. The command catch many fish. September 18th, 19th and 20th, quiet. Received letter from wife date 15th. In command of Regiment. Maj. Gully commands Brigade. September 21st and 22nd. Wednesday and Thursday, quiet. Heavy rains. September 23rd and 24th, quiet. On 22nd day of September Sergeant T. B. Thomas elected Junior Second Lieutenant Com- pany "B" 40th Alabama Infantry. September 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th and 30th, doing picket duty on bay. Much rain. Went to Mobile on pass. W. L. Lipsey received notice of transfer to 7th Alabama Cavalry Company "D" vice A. W. Coward, to take effect from October Ist, 1864. Capt. Willett sent up application for leave of absence. October 1st, 1864, Saturday, doing picket on eastern shore. Capt. Lake volunteer aid of Gen. Liddell the Inspector of Pickett Line. Capt. Brunson Chief of Picket. October 2nd, 1864, leave of absence to Capt. Willett for twenty days granted. Left this day for Blakely to go home. Arrived there at 6:00 p. m., October 3rd, 1864, Monday. Started home on leave, arrived there October 5th at 12:00 noon. Found my family well. October 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th on leave at home. Spent the time pleasantly. Had while there three chills. Broke them. October 20th, Thursday, started back for command. Before Capt. Willett left camps received commission as Major of 40th Alabama. Bought horse at home and started back with him on 20th in company with Wm. Wood. Brought wagon to Macon with box of provisions for self and clothing for Company "B" and self. Had no trouble on way with horse and arrived at Holly-
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wood again October 22nd at noon six hours before leave expired. During absence everything went quietly on. Many of the command became sick with chills and two died of congestion, Sims Company "C" and Brown Company "F." Capt. Latham pro- moted from 1st Lieutenant to captaincy of Company "B" 40th Alabama October 4th, 1864, to take rank from May 5th, 1864. Capt. Willett is now no longer Captain of Company "B" 40th Alabama. He has in the preceding pages given a short account of that Company and 40th Alabama since it entered the ser- vice March 13th, 1862, and in retiring from the com- mand of the Company also ceases to make notes of the action of the Company.
Hollywood,
Eastern Shore,
E. D. WILLETT.
Major 40th Alabama.
Alabama.
The foregoing pages were written by Captain E. D. Willett, but as stated by him just above, after he was promoted Major of the 40th Alabama, he retired from the 'command of Company B as Cap- tain, and ceased to make notes of the actions of that Company, as First Lieutenant James A. Latham, was promoted to the Captaincy of Com- pany B and on him devolved the duty of continu- ing the narrative of that Company's movements and casualties. Capt. Latham, however, was killed at the battle of Bentonville, N. C., and to show the further movements and actions of Company B and the 40th Alabama, recourse has been had to the diary of Rev. Jno H. Curry, now deceased, who was First Sergeant of Company B'and who also kept a diary. Sergeant Curry in his diary says:
"December 19, 1864, Regiment remained here "(near Mobile) for about a month longer and was
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"then ordered to take steamer for Montgomery. "I joined command at Montgomery. January 7, "1865, Regiment took cars at Montgomery at 7 a. "m. and arrived at Augusta, Ga., at 4 p. m. on "the Sth. We marched across the Savannah river "and camped about three miles from Hamburg, on "the South Carolina side. January 9, 1865, at 7 a. m. "began the march across the country to Chester, S. "C., arriving there on the 16th. This march was "through a piney woods section. The weather was "cold and disagreeable. We made large fires, mostly "pine wood, and much of it very rich, and when we "reached Chester we were smoked so black that we "looked more like Mexicans than white men. We "fared well as to good and wholesome food. No "State ever treated soldiers better than did South "Carolina. The people along the line of our march "were especially kind to us. Our march was through "a section of the country that had never been touched "before by the tramp of an army, hence they were in "a better condition to treat us well than those sec- "tions through which the army had passed. Febru- "ary 10, 1865, we took the cars at Sa. m. for Raleigh, "N. C., and after some delays and a perilous trip, "reached there at noon next day. We laid over here "for six hours, during which time some of our boys "discovered that there was some whiskey on the "platform besides a considerable amount of meat, "meal, salt, etc. There were guards stationed at "different places on the platform, and it was noticed "the guards were sitting on the whiskey kegs, so it "was decided by our boys to make an effort to ascer- "tain and if possible to get a taste of the contents of "those kegs. By some means some of the boys pro- "eured an auger, crawled under the platform and "bored holes through the platform floor and into the "kegs, and with buckets soon emptied a keg or two,
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"and that two while the guard sat serenely on his "keg ! It was not long however until the boys who "were in the secret had their tongues loosed, and in "other ways disclosed the fact that they had found "something stronger than water to drink. But soon "the order came for us to leave Raleigh, and the "boys in liquor were dumped into the cars and were "soon asleep. After various delays we arrived at "Charlotte on the 23d of February. February 24. "1865, at & a. m. we began the march to Smithfield, "reaching a camp in about two days. March 18, "1865, marched into the vicinity of Bentonville and "formed lines preparatory to battle. March 19, 1865, "battle of Bentonville was fought in which Confed- "erates were victorious. A considerable portion of "the day our men were wading in water knee deep. "Capt. James A Latham, of Company B was killed "and his body left on ground occupied by the Feder- "als. Our lines changed position during the battle "leaving his body behind. David Morrow, Wiley "Horton, Thos. Cameron and Sardine Hildreth, all "of Company B were wounded. David Morrow died "in an ambulance while being carried to field hospi- "tal. Wiley Horton had his leg amputated and died "in hospital at Charlotte. Sergeant Curry was sick "with chill on day before the battle and was not "able to keep in line. Capt. Latham gave him per- "mission to march out of ranks at will, in other words "travel as best he could. He could not keep up with "his command as he had to rest at intervals during "the day. When he came up with the army on the "morning of the 19th, he found that his regiment "was some distance from where he approached the "line. Being weak and not knowing where his com- "mand was located, he joined a Company belonging "to the 51st Virginia and fought with them during "the day. At night, the battle over, Curry asked
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"the Commander of this Company to discharge him "that he might go in search of his own command. "The moon shone brightly, and traveling up the line "in a westerly direction among the wounded, dead "and dying, he at last came upon the ground that "had been occupied by his Company during the en- "gagement. He first found the dead body of Clar- "ence H. Ellerbe, Adjutant of the 40th Alabama, "which he came near stepping upon as he stepped "over a log. He could hear the groans of wounded "men on every side, and going from one to another, "came at last upon David Morrow and Wiley Hor- "ton, of Company B who were lying in a few feet "of each other in a low place, thickly set with un- "derbrush. Morrow shot in the body, Horton in the "leg. As they had fought in the water they were "wet to their hips and very cold. Their sufferings "were intense. Curry built a fire, dried their clothes "and administered to them during the night. During "this battle our flag with forty men was cut off from "our regiment, got behind Federal lines, and the men "had to make their way to Releigh and return by rail. "The flag bearer tore the flag from ;the staff, took "down his pants, tied it round his leg and brought "it out all O. K. except the staff. Several days af- "ter the battle they came into camp with it flying "on a staff cut for the occasion. Such a sensation "was neyer produced in our command before-men "shouted, cried, kissed it, hugged it, etc., etc.
"Soon after this battle General Joseph E. John- "ston began the work of re-organization and consol- "idation of the Army. The 19th and 40th Alabama "Regiments were consolidated. Colonel M. L. Wood "becoming Colonel, Col. E. S. Gulley Lieutenant- "Colonel, and Major E. D. Willett becoming Major, "by appointment of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. Com- "panies B and K were united and became Company
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"H, Capt. S. H. Sprott commander; Sergeant J. H. "Curry. the Orderly Sergeant, was in command of "this Company for a time, then Lieutenant Monette "was placed in command, and after the re-organiza- "tion, Capt. Sprott. Not long after this we were or- "dered to the Yadkin river to guard a ford. Lee, of "Virginia, had already surrendered, and great de- "moralization was manifest, especially among those "so near to their homes as the Carolinians. Not long "afterwards we were ordered to Salisbury to drive "out the Federal Cavalry that had captured and "burned the town. Here we remained doing picket "duty until the day of our surrender, May 5, 1865. "Thepapers were all arranged for our capitulation and "we were to march home in regular order, but after "the first day or two, every man was his own com- "mander and went his own way."
Here Sergeant Curry's diary ends.
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