USA > North Carolina > Catawba County > The Catawba soldier of the Civil war a sketch of every soldier from Catawba county, North Carolina, with the photograph, biographical sketch, and reminiscence of many of them, together with a sketch of Catawba county from 1860 to 1911 > Part 1
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25
THE
CATAWBA SOLDIER
OF THE
CIVIL WAR
"Lest We Forget"
* * ** * * * * * * * ** * * * * ********
The Catawba Soldier Of The Civil War
Book No. 148
"The Catawba Soldier" was first printed in 1911 by Clay Printing Co., Inc. using the letterpress method of printing. The type was set in hot metal on a linotype machine. This type has long since been melted down and the cuts for the pictures thrown away. The original pictures were returned to the owners around 1912.
Over the years interest has mounted and the requests have piled up for reprints of this book. In 1978 we decided to produce "The Catawba Soldier" again. By using an' original book as copy for our cameras, we reproduced this book as authentically as possible by photo-lithography. The rough pictures, old spelling and even the errors are exactly as in the original. The only new part of this book is the index, which was added to the back for the reader's convenience.
This book is presented to our friends and interested parties as a numbered limited edition.
CLAY PRINTING COMPANY P.O. BOX 1269 . HICKORY, N. C. · 322-3610
FOUNDED 1892
¥
1.
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1833 06582 5942
GC
975.601
C28HA
THE Catawba Soldier
OF THE
CIVIL WAR
A sketch of every soldier from Catawba county, North Carolina, with the photograph, biographical sketch, and reminiscence of many of them, together with a sketch of Catawba county from 1860 to 1911-a complete history of these valiant men, in war and peace
Edited and compiled by PROF. GEO. W. HAHN HICKORY, N. C.
1911 CLAY PRINTING CO. HICKORY. N. C.
"History maketh a young man to be old with- out either wrinkles or gray hairs; privileging him with the experience of age, without either the in- firmities or inconveniencies thereof."
To my living comrades, to the widows of those who have departed, to our noble mothers and sisters, to our descendants who cherish a lasting veneration for their ancestors, and to the young men of Catawba county, and the state at large, who would draw lessons of wisdom, patriotism, endurance, fortitude and inspiration from the examples herein described, this volume is most affectionately dedicated by THE AUTHOR
PREFACE
More than forty-five years have passed since the tattered flag of the lost cause was furled to be forever held as a sacred memento of the daring deeds of Catawba's true and gallant sons, who so willingly and obediently offered their services when they saw that war was inevitable.
No flag ever waved over braver boys, and none who wore the grey showed more willingness or promptness than did the heroic sons of Catawba.
They can leave their children and posterity no richer nor more enduring monument than a record of their achievements as contained in this book.
Had this book been written thirty-five years ago, much valuable history could have been preserved; acting, therefore, under the old adage "It is never too late to do good," this book is sent forth to preserve that remnant of history which is yet remembered by the old soldiers living.
The author has spent nearly two years in the execution of this work, during which time he has spared neither money nor pains to make it as authentic as possible.
The book is not the author's ideal owing to the fact that the Veterans and their descendants failed to co-operate with him by fur- nishing him with photos, biographical sketches, and reminiscences in which the book should abound.
Since the author has gone to the expense and pains of sending forth to the State, and to the South as well, Catawba county's record will he be unjust in demanding a similiar effort on the part of each county in the State? The author desires to state "Here is what Ca- tawba has done. What have the other counties done?"
What a field from which future historians might glean, if all the other counties would publish such a book!
But while this book is not the author's ideal, he is proud to present to the state and to the South, as well, specimens of the pioneer manhood of Catawba county, together with a record of their achieve- ments for the past fifty years.
This book claims no literary merit; indeed it would be folly for a soldier to attempt it. Hence, this is written by old soldiers, compiled and edited by an old soldier, and is, therefore, a plain, simple narration of facts in an effort to give the man behind the gun the honors that past historians have failed to accord him.
This book is intended to be placed in every home in the county as a monument to every old soldier, far more enduring than metal, and is the last opportunity the Author has in laying his tribute to a generation perhaps superior to any that ever has or ever will adorn the pages of Catawba's history. He bespeaks aid in placing this tribute in the homes of the poor unable to pay. He is willing to make more than his share of the donation.
THE AUTHOR.
HICKORY, N. C., July 1st, 1911.
THE CATAWBA SOLDIER OF THE CIVIL WAR.
CATAWBA COUNTY
This county was formed from Lincoln County in 1842; it derives its name from "Catawba River," which forms its eastern and northern boundaries. The name "Catawba" was taken from the tribe of Indians of that name who at one time inhabited this section. The Catawba River is the boun- dary line between Catawba and the following counties, viz: Alexander, Caldwell and Iredell. On the North, West and South; Catawba is bounded by Burke, Cleveland and Lincoln counties. Our county is located in the North Western por- tion of the State, 175 miles from the Capital of North Car- olina, and we think Catawba is one of the very best counties in this or any other State. The county was settled in the main by what was called "Pennsylvania Dutch", a better, more honest, and patriotic people would be hard to find; the lower or South-eastern portion of the county. was settled by the English, with a small mixture of "French Huguenots", a splendid people. The lands of Catawba are productive, and for diversified crops, cannot be excelled. Our people can raise anything from rice and peanuts up to "King Cotton." Some sections cannot be excelled for corn, cotton, oats, rye, wheat etc., and for fruits of all kinds including "huckleberries" we are in the front rank; bee culture, stock raising and the dairy business Catawba is in the lead; and it is a fact that the greatest improvements have taken place since the war of 1861-5, and much of it has been done by the old "Confederate Soldiers" and their sons and daughters. The nursery busi- ness in our county was projected by Confederate soldiers. In 1842, the population was as follows:
White Population
7272
Free Negroes
21
Negro Slaves
1569
Total
8862
8
THE CATAWBA SOLDIER
In 1860, the year before the great war, the population was as follows.
White Females
4703
White Males
4330
Free Negroes
32
Negro Slaves
1664
Total
10729
In 1890 the population was 18,689, and in 1900 the total population of Catawba was 22,133. In 1910 the census figures gave us 27,918.
The people of Catawba County were a conservative people, and in 1861 when South Carolina and other States, and even parts of North Carolina, were excited and agitated, our county was calm and cool, but when Mr. Lincoln called on North Carolina for her quota of troops, then it was that the young men of Catawba County were stirred up; and when Gov. Ellis called for troops, it was astonishing how the young men of the county responded, They were encouraged by the patriotic women to do their duty. What the good women endured and suffered 'during the four years that fol- lowed, no pen or tongue can tell. It is sad to think how many of the brave men who went to the front never lived to return; peace to their ashes.
The advancement of every interest in Catawba County since the close of the war in 1865, has been almost pheno- minal, and Catawba has not been behind in education either; her schools bear witness to this. An old Confederate soldier said to the writer: "The old soldiers helped to make our county what it is." That is so, and no truer soldier ever carried a gun than the boys from Catawba, and they were cheered on by as brave and patriotic women as ever waved a banner. When going into battle during the war, we es- teemed it a privilege when we were supported by soldiers from Catawba County. In the soldiers furnished to the cause, those from Catawba could not be excelled for courage, loyalty, and devotion; they left home well dressed and well fed; they returned ragged and many of them emaciated. The heroic women cheered them as they were going to the front; the same patriotic women received them back with
9
OF THE CIVIL WAR
joy and gladness, and went to work carding and spinning and weaving cloth with which to clothe them. It would be hard to convince the people now of what our good women did for our soldiers in 1865-66.
She furnished about 1500 soldiers, about 1200 returned.
M. O. SHERRILL. Raleigh, N. C.
10
THE CATAWBA SOLDIER
THE GERMAN ELEMENT IN CATAWBA'S POPULATION.
The current of German immigration from Pennsylvania into the Piedmont section of North Carolina began to move in this direction about the beginning of the Eighteenth Century, and was at full tide about the middle of that cen- tury. These Germans were largely families springing from the enterprising Pennsylvania Germans, who had years be- fore settled in Montgomery, Berks, Lancaster, and York counties, and, who later pressed towards the southwest frontier of their state; and then followed the Cumberland Valley down into Maryland; and then on further down still southward into the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia; and then still further on down across the Blue Ridge into the fertile valleys of the Yadkin and the Catawba in North Carolina. These people settled in the territory now embraced by Ran- dolph, Davidson, Rowan, Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Lincoln, Gaston, Catawba, and Iredell counties. To these Penn- sylvania Germans were added immigrants directly from Germany, and a few from other European Countries. They came for various reasons: some, to seek new homes, as an outlet for the overcrowded population of the Fatherland; some, to enjoy the liberty in this land of the free; some, as political refugees; some, to escape the military services de- manded of all young men in Germany; some, to escape religious persecutions-as the Palestines from the Rhine, persecuted by Louis XIV in the War of the Spanish Succes- sion, and the Salzburgers from the Alpine Districts of Austria; and no doubt, some came as fugitives from justice -- who "left their country for their country's good."
These German settlers were industrious, economical, and thrifty farmers, not afraid nor ashamed of hard work, and were soon blessed with an abundance of everything which the fertile soil and temperate climate of this section could furnish them. As they were farmers, they avoided the towns, and mostly settled in rural districts. They were un- informed in the ways of the world, ignorant of the English language, and unacquainted with the shrewdness of the
11
OF THE CIVIL WAR
business man, yet they were well informed in their own language and well read in their Bibles and devotional Ger- man books. There were few manufactories, and fewer centers of commerce where supplies could be obtained, so that these early settlers had to go to Charleston, Fayetteville or Columbia in long trips by wagons, occupying several weeks to procure the common necessities of life, and regarded many things as useless luxuries that are now regarded as common necessities. These conditions compelled each family to manufacture its own clothing and farming tools. Thus the loom, the blacksmith's shop, the tannery, and shoe-shop became necessary adjuncts of nearly every home. And every member of the family was engaged in useful industry.
These Germans manifested certain traits of character peculiar to them. Of course, there were exceptions to these general traits, but it was true of them as a whole. They were retiring and peaceful citizens, opposed to riot and contention, and patiently suffered wrong for a time, yet they were unwilling to submit to oppression when persistently pressed upon them. They could be led, their minds were open to conviction; but they simply could not be driven, and determindly resisted all attempts to deprive them of their inalienable rights. They were persevering, never abandoning their undertakings unless compelled to do so by force of circumstances. They were slow in making changes, and tenaciously held to the practices and habits and modes of thought practiced by their ancestors, when often more modern ways were much better. They were very slow to yield their native language, especially where they lived in settlements of their own, and for this reason they retained for a long time their peculiar traits of character, their re- ligious, social, and moral life, and for this reason also they lost prestige and standing in the professions and official life. Honesty and uprightness of life were marked char- acteristics of the Germans. An anecdote will illustrate this: Two Germans, Hans and Fritz, lived side by side, far away from the world's deceit and tricks. One day Hans bought a horse, but lacked part of the money; so he called on Fritz for a loan. Fritz readily consented and handed
12
THE CATAWBA SOLDIER
over the required amount, remarking: "Berhaps it was bed- der ve make us a note." The note was drawn up in their primitive way: "I, Hans, gets from Fritz feefty tollars to- day," Then the question arose who should hold the note. "You geeps dot", says Fritz, "Und den you will know dot you owes me dot money." Hans says: "Dot ish so." After a month Hans pays the note and the question was now who should keep the note. "I geeps dot now, aind't it?" says Fritz, "den you see I always remembers you paid dot to me." Says Hans "Yah dot ish so," "Now is ish all so blain, I knows what to do ven I porrows again".
These Germans had strong attachments for their home and its comforts; and were slow to leave the place they had once secured as their own. There are farms in this section today that have never been sold-have never been out of the family, but have descended through generation after gener- ation from the original grants made in colonial times.
Thus these Germans came into this County of Catawba, from various quarters and for various reasons, and settled among others from other countries, and by privations and hard labor wrested this fair land from the savage and the wild beast, and turned it into a veritable garden. In order to understand the age in which we live, it is important that we know the history of the past. The different epochs of history are not disjointed parts, but all have a close relation to the past and to the future. The sturdy Germans and their high moral qualities have stamped their impress upon this generation, and they will continue to be felt in the ages to come. From this hardy race the Catawba soldier of the Civil War came, and his heroism at Gettysburg, and many other fields were the astonishment of the world. The Germans are not foreigners in this country, any more than those who came from England and Scotland and Ireland and France. They are among the charter members of this great Country. And since the shackles of the language have been shaken off, the descendants of the Germans are fast taking first places in the wonderful strides this country is making in all industrial, commercial, and educational pro- gress. The present is but a development of the past, it is the offspring of the parent that has stamped upon it the
13
OF THL CIVIL WAR
character of the early settlers of this county. And what- ever is noble and worthy in the citizenship of Catawba Coun- ty in her Civil War history, and her progress and achieve- ments today, a part and a large part of that honor belongs to the German element of her citizens.
REV. R. A. YODER, D. D.
Lincolnton, N. C. Jan. 20, 1911.
14
THE CATAWBA SOLDIER
THE GREAT AWAKENING.
This earth is a place of great resources. It teems with minerals. Its soil, its rivers, its mountains, its clouds, its sunshine, all conspire to make it wonderful. It is the abode of a race of beings made in the image of God. Adam, our first parent, was given the command to dress and keep it. Imagine the face of the earth, under the care of a race of perfect beings like Adam was, with perfect human strength and perfect human intelligence, all laboring together to develop the resources of the earth, understanding each other, and realizing with one purpose, their duty and obligations. Can you picture the fairy scenes that would meet the eye on every hand? A whole race dwelling together, in unity of spirit and a union of strength. What a Utopia! But it is a dream only. It is not possible under merely human conditons. The curse of human depravity has spread over the earth, and wrought devastation everywhere. Men are the natural enemies of each other, like the savage beasts of the jungle. War, oppression, monopoly, tyranny, slavery, villainy, mur- der, and passion, have blasted the once fair earth, and fam- ine, disease, and poverty have stalked in their train, count- less millions of the weak have perished to give the brutal place. Human philosophy has sought to alleviate the con- ditions, but ambition, greed, force, deceit, have all conspired to defeat it. No true altering power has ever entered the field but the gospel of the Man of Gallilee. From the dark- ness of those three hours of Calvary, where He died, has sprung, as from the womb of Time, a destiny for the race. Let us change the figure, and call it a tree that was born there. A root out of the dry ground, it was, at first, watered with tears and blood of many martyrs. But it grew, and soon its stripling height measured far above all other re- ligions. But it was not destined to become the sturdy oak too soon. It must wave in many a wintry blast, and wither in many a summer's drought. But branch after branch has grown stronger by the trial. An open Bible, religious and civil liberty, universal brotherhood, education of the masses, world-wide commerce and travel, world evangelism- all
15
OF THE CIVIL WAR
have grown from this tree. It has lived to see war reduced, slavery abolished, tyranny dethroned, illiteracy discounted. And lo! with the disappearance of these great evils, and the coming of these great blessings, the inventive powers of man have seemed to spring into new activity. Kept back by human ignorance and superstition until now, they are like hounds whose leashs have been loosed, and they are bounding to the chase of discovery and invention. Earth, air, sky, and sea are being searched and explored, and are yielding their secrets in amazing numbers. And the most of these things have happened in the last century, many in the last fifty years. What is the meaning of it all? Shall we look for a continuous development of the world along these same lines, till this is an ideal world, and man an ideal neighbor and friend? No, the book which tells us of the great author of these things, Jesus Christ, tells us that there is an end to it. There is "one far off divine event to which all creation moves." God has evidently designed to control this world's history in great dispensations. We see them marked in the Bible. Their limits are very clear. The first one extended from man's creation to his fall. The second, is from the fall to the flood. The third, from the flood to Pentecost. The fourth, is the time of the Gentiles till Christ's second coming. The last great period is the Millennium. The question is, are we nearing this last period? The Bible indicates that this will be the golden era of man's history. The world will be untrammelled by Satan, man will be obedient to God in great measure, and earth's resources and man's powers will reach their highest development. Do all these recent advancements indicate that we are reaching this ideal period? Then may God speed the day, for it means glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, and good- will among men.
Hickory, N. C.
REV. J. G. GARTH.
16
THE CATAWBA SOLDIER
AGRICULTURAL PROGRESS FROM 1861 to 1911. BY M. A. ABERNETHY, FARM DEMONSTRATOR FOR CATAWBA COUNTY.
The farm implements of Citawba were simple, and in- deed, crude in 1861-5. The wooden plow stock with the shovel twister, bull tongue, or gopher made the list for plows. Nearly all of these were one horse plows. Occasionally, among the better class of people was found a two horse plow with iron mold board to break the fallow ground for wheat. But with few exceptions, the one horse plow was used for all purposes. Beside the common wooden tooth harrow, the better class used iron tooth harrows for pulverizing land for the small grains. The advent of the wheat drill had not yet been made. The first time the writer saw wheat being plant- ed in rows was on that memorable march to Gettysburg and near that place. The hoe, was the tool for ridding the crops of grass and weeds. These were all home made, manufac- tured from flat iron or, worn out slab saws. This clumsy, dull, heavy tool made a boy wish he were somewhere else besides the farm. But the boys of those days were more persistent than the boys of today.
With the above implements the farmer tock four to six furrows to the row and the boys and women followed with the hoes, making potato hills to the corn. This required three, four, or five hands to the plow, depending on the amount of grass and weeds. Thus the crop was worked on an average of three times, the last being the happy "laying by."
About the year 1866, some advancement was made, the double foot plow came into use. This was regarded as a labor saver, since it required only half the time to plow an acre. The same irons that were used on the single foot plow were used on the double, and were home made. The writer has carried many a piece of iron far away to the blacksmith- shop to have a new one made or an old one sharpened. These were the crude implements for working the corn. The wheat was harvested with a cradle. No reapers and binders had come yet. It was not an uncommon thing to see six to ten
17
OF THE CIVIL WAR
men swinging their cradles in the harvest field [and as many women, men and boys following in their wake binding and shocking the golden sheaves!
The thresher was an old horse power machine with about as many men as horses to operate it. A wind mill winnowed the chaff from the grain. It would be an using to our farmer boys now to see a man standing in the center of an old horse power, with his long limber whip in his hand, and now and then whirling it over their backs, as he cried out, "You, Jim" "Pete", Git up." and the whip would crack like a rifle. But those "good old days" are gone and the menkilling tools, and land impoverishing methods are gone with them. Gradually came the labor saving implements, such as cultivators, disc harrows, iron frames and iron tooth- section harrows, grain drills, reapers, with binding attach- ments, separators hauled from place to place, and so on. Then later came the two-horse riding cultivator, the cotton and corn planters, and later stil the improved birders and reapers, corn harvesters, mowers, hay rakes, and so forth till now one man and two or three well trained horses can do the same amount of work in one day that formerly it took four and six men to do with the old antiquated tools.
Along with these improvements came the steam traction engine, and hooked up to a threshing outfit complete with the straw-stacking attachment, not only separating the grain from the straw and the chaff, but actually pulling the whole concern, with all hands riding from place to place over our country roads and through our farmers' flelds to thresh his grain. Then the disc plow and the subsoiler came in place of the old side shovel or twisters, and where men or.ce plov - ed three or four inches deep, skimming and skinning their land, preparing the soil to waste away with the first heavy rains, now we find the land broken from eight to sixteen, nd in some cases eighteen to twenty-one inches deep, thus mak- ing a soil that is capable of holding moisture sufficient for the average growing crop for the greater portion of the growing season, especially if this soil be well supplied with humus, that is, decomposed vegetable matter. And further more, this deeply broken soil not only holds the moisture in reserve for the growing plants, but it makes it almost im-
18
THE CATAWBA SOLDIER
possible for it to wash away with the heaviest continued rains.
Such demonstrations have actuated farmers to put more thought into farming and to practice better methods. And the results are that where we once reaped only ten to fifteen bushels of corn to the acre and from three to six hundred pounds of seed cotton, we are now gathering, on the same land, fifty, sixty and seventy bushels of corn, and twelve hundred to two thousands pounds of seed cotton per acre.
Farmers are making corn, wheat, oats, and cotton at considerably less cost under the improved methods, than with the old tools and methods.
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