Chapter I

Transcriber's Note: Minor typographical errors have been corrected

without note. Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have

been retained as printed. Words printed in italics are noted with

underscores: _italics_.

The Story of a Confederate Boy in the Civil War

By

David E. Johnston

_of the 7th Virginia Infantry Regiment_

Author of "Middle New River Settlements"

With Introduction by

Rev. C. E. Cline, D.D.

A Methodist Minister and Chaplain of the

Military Order of the Loyal Legion, U.S.A.

COPYRIGHT, 1914

BY

DAVID E. JOHNSTON

PUBLISHED BY

GLASS & PRUDHOMME COMPANY

PORTLAND, OREGON

Preface

Some twenty-eight years ago I wrote and published a small book

recounting my personal experiences in the Civil War, but this book is

long out of print, and the publication exhausted. At the urgent request

of some of my old comrades who still survive, and of friends and my own

family, I have undertaken the task of rewriting and publishing this

story.

As stated in the preface to the former volume, the principal object of

this work is to record, largely from memory, and after the lapse of

many years (now nearly half a century) since the termination of the

war between the states of the Federal Union, the history, conduct,

character and deeds of the men who composed Company D, Seventh regiment

of Virginia infantry, and the part they bore in that memorable

conflict.

The chief motive which inspires this undertaking is to give some meager

idea of the Confederate soldier in the ranks, and of his individual

deeds of heroism, particularly of that patriotic, self-sacrificing,

brave company of men with whose fortunes and destiny my own were linked

for four long years of blood and carnage, and to whom during that

period I was bound by ties stronger than hooks of steel; whose

confidence and friendship I fully shared, and as fully reciprocated.

To the surviving members of that company, to the widows and children,

broken-hearted mothers, and to gray-haired, disconsolate fathers (if

such still live) of those who fell amidst the battle and beneath its

thunders, or perished from wounds or disease, this work is dedicated.

The character of the men who composed that company, and their deeds of

valor and heroism, will ever live, and in the hearts of our people will

be enshrined the names of the gallant dead as well as of the living, as

the champions of constitutional liberty. They will be held in grateful

remembrance by their own countrymen, appreciated and recognized by all

people of all lands, who admire brave deeds, true courage, and devotion

of American soldiers to cause and country.

For some of the dates and material I am indebted to comrades. I also

found considerable information from letters written by myself during

the war to a friend, not in the army, and not subject to military duty,

on account of sex; who, as I write, sits by me, having now (February,

1914), for a period of more than forty-six years been the sharer of my

joys, burdens and sorrows; whose only brother, George Daniel Pearis, a

boy of seventeen years, and a member of Bryan's Virginia battery, fell

mortally wounded in the battle of Cloyd's Farm, May 9, 1864.

DAVID E. JOHNSTON.

Portland, Oregon, May, 1914.

Introduction

The author of this book is my neighbor. He was a Confederate, and I a

Union soldier. Virginia born, he worked hard in youth. A country

lawyer, a member of the Senate of West Virginia, Representative in

Congress, and Circuit Judge, his life has been one of activity and

achievement. Blessed with a face and manner which disarm suspicion,

inspire confidence and good will, he makes new friends, and retains old

ones.

Judge Johnston (having through life practiced the virtues of a good

Baptist), is, therefore, morally sound to the core. He has succeeded,

not by luck or chance, but because of what he is. Withal, he has

cultivated the faculty for hard work; in fact, through life he has

liked nothing so well as hard work.

A vast good nature, running easily into jocular talk, with interesting

stories, in which he excels, he is able to meet every kind of man in

every rank of society, catching with unerring instinct the temper of

every individual and company where he is.

He is thoroughly American, and though having traveled extensively in

Europe and the East, he is not spoiled with aping foreigners, nor

"rattled" by their frivolous accomplishments. He is likewise an

experienced writer, being the author of the history of "Middle New

River Settlements, and Contiguous Territory," in Virginia and West

Virginia, a work of great value, which cost the author years of

persistent research.

This volume, "The Story of a Confederate Boy," is written from the

heart, with all his might, and all his honesty, and is characterized

throughout by fertility, sympathy, and magnanimity, in recording his

own personal experiences, and what he saw.

C. E. CLINE.

Portland, Oregon.

Contents

Chapter. Page.

I. Pre-election Statement as to Mr. Lincoln.--The

Presidential Election in November, 1860.--Fear and

Anxiety.--At School with Rev. J. W. Bennett in Winter

1860 and Spring 1861.--Debating Society.--Some

Recollections of Colonel Chambers and Others.--Strong

State Rights Ideas.--Desire to Become a Soldier.--The

Anticipation and the Reality.--Return Home.--War Talk

and Feeling 1

II. Giles County, Its Formation and Early Settlers.--Its

Geographical Position, Topography and Population in

1860.--State of Political Parties.--Election of

Delegate to the Convention 9

III. What Will Not Be Attempted Herein.--How the Southern

People Viewed the Situation.--Virginia as a Peacemaker.

--The Peace Conference and Its Failure.--Geographical,

Territorial Position.--Assembling of the Convention

and Its Action.--Mr. Lincoln's Attitude and Call for

Troops.--Adoption of the Ordinance of Secession.--

Preparations for Defense 15

IV. Organization of Volunteer Forces.--Giles Not Behind

Her Sister Counties.--A Company Organized at

Pearisburg with James H. French as Captain; Eustace

Gibson, First Lieutenant; William A. Anderson, Second

Lieutenant; Joel Blackard, Second Junior Lieutenant,

and Captains James D. Johnston and R. F. Watts on

the Committee to Purchase Uniforms, etc.--The Ladies

of the Town and Country.--In Barracks and on Drill.

--Anecdote.--Dixie.--Our March to Wolf Creek.--

Presentation of Bible and Flag 25

V. The Election for the Ratification of the Ordinance

of Secession Was Held on the Fourth Thursday of May

--the 23rd. On that Day Members of the House of

Delegates, and Perhaps Other Officers, Were to Be

Elected.--Our Departure.--Lynchburg and to Manassas

Junction 39

VI. Stay at the Junction.--Organization of 24th

Regiment as Afterwards Completed.--March to Camp

Davis Ford.--First Night on Picket.--Alarm.--

March to the Town of Occoquan and Back Again.--

A War of Words.--Serious Fight Imminent.--Leaving

the 24th Regiment.--Camp Tick Grove and a Personal

Difference.--A More Perfect Union.--Camp Wigfall.

--Blondeau's Shot.--How We Cooked, Ate and Slept.

--Shannon's Bob.--Rumors Afloat of Pending Battle.

--Three Days' Rations Cooked 47

VII. Breaking Camp at Wigfall.--The March to the

Battlefield.--General Beauregard and His Appearance

and Advice.--First Cannon Shot.--Battle of Bull Run.

--The Advance.--The Charge.--The Wounded.--Isaac

Hare and John Q. Martin.--Retreat of the Enemy.--

Severe Artillery Duel.--The Dutchman and His Chunk

of Fat Bacon.--Casualties 61

VIII. Night's Experience on Our First Battlefield.--The

Dead and Cries of the Wounded.--Occurrences on the

Field.--Sunday, July 21.--Shelled by the Enemy.--

March to the Field by the Sound of Battle.--The

Battle.--Casualties.--The Pursuit.--To the Outposts.

--Incidents.--Winter at Centerville 69

IX. Our Daily Duties.--In Camp.--Among the Last

Rencounters.--Lieutenant Gibson, Corporal Stone

and Others Hold a Council of War and Determine

to Advance and Drive McClellan from Arlington

Heights.--March to the Outposts.--Graybacks.--

Religious Exercises.--Incidents of Camp.--

Depletion of the Army.--Re-enlistments and

Furloughs.--Retreat from Manassas Behind the

Rappahannock.--Albert and Snidow.--Gordonsville 83

X. The Stay Near Gordonsville.--The March to

Richmond and Journey to Yorktown.--In the

Trenches.--Skirmishing and Night Alarms.--

Reorganization.--The Retreat from Yorktown.

--The Old Lady's Prayer.--Battle of Williamsburg.

--The Killed and Wounded.--Forces and Numbers

Engaged and Losses.--Retreat Up the Peninsula.

--Battle of Seven Pines.--Casualties 93

XI. Preparations for Active Field Service.--Dress

Parade and Speeches of General Kemper and Colonel

Patton.--Battles Around Richmond.--Gaines' Mill

or Cold Harbor.--Frazier's Farm and Malvern Hill.

--Testing a Man's Courage.--Casualties.--In Pursuit

of the Enemy.--In Camp Near the Chickahominy.--

Sickness and Death.--Threatening Attitude of the

Enemy in Northern Virginia.--Concentration of

the Confederate Army on the Rappahannock.--Pope's

Bravado.--Lieutenant Hugh M. Patton Succeeds

Stark as Adjutant, and Sergeant Parke Appointed

Sergeant-Major, Succeeding George S. Tansill 107

XII. General Jackson With His "Foot Cavalry."--On

the Flank and in the Rear of General Pope's

Army.--Longstreet's Division Diverting the

Enemy's Attention on the Rappahannock.--March

Through Thoroughfare Gap.--Haymarket to the

Relief of Jackson's Men.--The Fight on the

29th.--Battle of August 30, 1862.--Kemper

Commands Division, Corse Leads the Brigade.--

Pope Defeated.--Casualties.--Rainstorm and

March Through Leesburg to White's Ford.--

Crossing the Potomac.--The Cry "Back to

Washington" and not "On to Richmond."--

"Maryland, My Maryland," "Bonnie Blue Flag."

--Halt at Monocacy Bridge 123

XIII. A Soldier's Equipment.--Washing His Clothes.--How

He Ate and Slept.--March Through Frederick.--

Middletown.--Hagerstown.--A Soldier in Active

Service in the Field.--What He Possesses.--

Indications of Southern Sympathy.--The Return

from Hagerstown.--Battle of Boonsboro and

Casualties.--Retreat to Sharpsburg 135

XIV. Number of Men for Action in Kemper's Brigade.

--General D. R. Jones' Division.--Confederate

Cavalry.--General Lee Playing Bluff with McClellan.

--The Opening of the Battle.--Burnside's Attack

and Repulse.--Casualties.--Re-crossing the

Potomac 145

XV. From Winchester to Culpeper.--Reorganization

of the Army.--What Happened at Culpeper.--To

Fredericksburg and Battle There.--In Winter

Quarters.--Incidents of the Camp 163

XVI. Leaving Camp.--March Through Spottsylvania.--

Louisa.--Hanover, Petersburg.--First North

Carolina Campaign.--Heavy Snowfall and Battle.

--Accident to Anderson Meadows Near Chester.

--Camp Near Petersburg.--Gardner Exchanges

Hats.--Lieutenant Stone in a Box.--To Weldon,

Goldsboro and Kinston.--At Suffolk, Virginia;

Return via Petersburg, Chester, Richmond, to

Taylorsville.--John, the Drummer Boy.--Professor

Hughes, Frank Burrows, and Others.--Across the

Pamunkey, Return and to Culpeper 177

XVII. Pennsylvania Campaign of July, 1863.--Culpeper

and Snicker's Gap.--Fording the Potomac.--

Shooting a Deserter.--Pennsylvania Invaded.--

Chambersburg.--My Dream.--Willoughby Run.--Roll

Call 191

XVIII. Finishing Roll Call.--March to the Field.--

Inspection of Arms.--Fearful Artillery Duel.

--The Charge.--Killed and Wounded.--Army

Retires.--Crosses the Potomac 199

XIX. Sketches and Incidents While a Wounded Prisoner.

--How Long in the Field Hospital.--The Walk to

Gettysburg and Kindness Shown Me By a Federal

Captain.--In Box Cars and Ride to Baltimore.

--What Occurred in Baltimore.--To Chester,

Pa.--Dr. Schafer and Another.--Paroled and

Back to Dixie 221

XX. Return to My Command.--Long Stay at Taylorsville

in November and December, 1863, and Part of

January, 1864.--Dr. Blackwell's Address.--Our

Second North Carolina Campaign.--General and

Mrs. Pickett and Baby George.--Back in Virginia.

--The Advance to Newbern.--Capture and Execution

of Deserters.--In Camp at Goldsboro.--Shooting

a Confederate Deserter.--The Shoemaker's Letter.

--Wilmington and Mouth of Cape Fear.--Return and

to Tarboro.--The Capture of Plymouth, N.C.--To

Washington and Newbern.--Return to Virginia 231

XXI. Battle of Dreury's Bluff.--The Forces Engaged.

--Casualties.--The Pursuit of General Butler's

Troops.--Bombardment at Howlett's House.--The

Wounding of Lieutenant John W. Mullins.--His

Death.--Withdrawal from Howlett's House 247

XXII. To Richmond.--Captured Flags.--Affair at

Milford.--Tom Yowell's Yarn.--Hanover Junction.

--North Anna.--Cold Harbor.--John A. Hale and

His Prisoner.--Malvern Hill 259

XXIII. From Malvern Hill to the South of the James.

--Engagement at Clay's House.--Bermuda Hundred

Line.--Christmas Dinner.--Our Southern Women.

--Close of 1864 267

XXIV. Religion in the Army.--Doctors Pryor, Fontaine

Stiles.--General Pendleton.--Young Men's Christian

Association.--Frazier, our Preaching-Fighting

Chaplain 285

XXV. From January, 1865, to Close of Battle of Five

Forks--Gloomy Outlook at the Opening of the Year.

--The Peace Commissioners.--Spirit of the Army.

--A. L. Fry as Regimental Clerk and Historian.

--Trouble in Company D.--Activity Within the

Federal Lines.--General Pendleton's Speech.--

Early's Small Force Defeated at Waynesboro.--

Sheridan's Raid 297

XXVI. South of the James.--Battles of Dinwiddie and

Five Forks 307

XXVII. The Retreat.--Battle of Sailor's Creek.--Captured 321

XXVIII. To Prison at Point Lookout, Maryland.--Prison

Life.--Release.--Home 335

XXIX. The Conclusion.--War Ends.--The Return to Civil

Pursuits.--The Confederate Soldier 349

Portraits

Page

David E. Johnston, 16 years old, in Confederate uniform

and off for the war Frontispiece

Captain James H. French 32

Lieutenant Eustace Gibson 64

Captain Robert H. Bane 80

Lieutenant Elisha M. Stone 112

Lieutenant John W. Mullins 144

Corporal Jesse B. Young 208

Lieutenant Thomas S. Taylor 240

Rev. J. Tyler Frazier 272

David E. Johnston, Brigadier-General, Confederate Veterans,

and David E. J. Wilson, Captain and Aide-de-Camp 304

Chapter I

Pre-election Statement as to Mr. Lincoln.

The Presidential Election in November, 1860.

Fear and Anxiety.

At School with Rev. J. W. Bennett, in Winter 1860 and Spring 1861.

Debating Society.

Some Recollections of Colonel Chambers and Others.

Strong State Rights Ideas.

Desire to Become a Soldier.

The Anticipation and the Reality.

Return Home.

War Talk and Feeling.

As a boy, but little more than fifteen years of age, I heard and

learned much of the pre-election news, as well as read newspapers,

by which I was impressed with the thought that Mr. Lincoln was a

very homely, ugly man, was not at all prepossessing, some of the

newspapers caricaturing him as the "Illinois Ape," "Vulgar Joker

of Small Caliber," and much other of the same kind of silly rubbish

was said and published. Some of the negroes inquired if he was

sure enough a black man. They had heard him spoken of as a "Black

Republican."

At the election in November, 1860, Mr. Lincoln, the Abolition-Republican

candidate, was chosen President, which caused great anxiety and alarm

throughout the Southern states--in fact, in other parts of the country.

This fear was intensified later by Mr. Lincoln's utterances in his

inaugural address, of which more will be said in later chapter.

Late in the Fall of 1860, and in the early Spring of 1861, I was at

school on Brush Creek, in the County of Monroe, Virginia, under the

preceptorship of Rev. James W. Bennett, a ripe scholar and genial

Christian gentleman. I do not think I progressed as rapidly as I might,

most probably on account of some things that tended to distract my

attention from my studies. Toward the ending of the school there was

much talk about secession and war; in fact, it was the theme of

every-day conversation. Even the boys in the school talked learnedly

about the questions, and were divided in opinion much in the same

proportion as their fathers, guardians and neighbors.

As day after day passed and something new was constantly happening, the

feeling and excitement became more intense. As the war clouds began to

arise and seemingly to overshadow us, the mutterings of the distant

thunder could be heard in the angry words of debate and discussion in

the councils of the country, and at home among the extreme advocates of

secession on the one hand, and those holding extreme views opposed to

the principle and policy of secession on the other. This was not

confined to the men alone, but, as before stated, the school boys were

would-be statesmen, and in Mr. Bennett's school organized a debating

society, in which was most frequently discussed the question, "Shall

Virginia Secede from the Union?"--the question being generally decided

in the negative.

The meetings of the society were frequently attended by some of the men

of the neighborhood, and among them were Col. William Chambers, Major

Arnett, and Captain Shue. Colonel Chambers was a fierce, bold,

determined, and uncompromising Union man, opposed to secession in any

and every form or name in which it could be presented, while Major

Arnett and Captain Shue were much of the same way of thinking, but more

conservative in their utterances. These men and others frequently took

part in the debate and sometimes sat as judges.

When I took part in the discussion it was generally on the affirmative,

in favor of secession, my sentiments and convictions leading me in that

direction, though as a matter of fact my ideas were very crude, as I

knew little of the matter, not having at that time attained my

sixteenth year. I had only caught from my uncle, Chapman I. Johnston,

who had been educated and trained in the State Rights school of

politics, some faint ideas of the questions involved in the threatened

rupture.

Naturally following my early impressions, I became and was a strong

believer in and an advocate of State Rights, and secession, without

fair comprehension of what was really meant by the terms. My youthful

mind was inspired by the thought that I lived in the South, among a

southern people in thought, feeling and sentiment, that their interests

were my interests, their assailants and aggressors were equally mine,

their country my country,--a land on which fell the rays of a southern

sun, and that the dews which moistened the graves of my ancestors fell

from a southern sky; and not only this, but the patriotic songs, and

the thought of becoming a soldier, with uniform and bright buttons,

marching to the sound of martial music, a journey to Richmond, all

animated and enthused me and had the greatest tendency to induce and

influence me to become a soldier. Grand anticipations! Fearful reality!

When thinking of this, I am reminded of the story of Bill Douthat of

our Company, who, after trying the realities of war and soldier life

for a part of one year, returned home, and being strictly inquired of

as to what war was, what it meant, or how he liked it, answered, "Well,

gentlemen, I have seen the elephant; don't want to see him any more."

And after having tried it, I think I can truthfully say that Bill

expressed fully our views on the subject.

Leaving school about the last days of March or the first days of April,

I returned to my uncle's house.

Although Virginia had not yet seceded, there was an abundance of war

talk, and some of the people were rapidly coming to the conclusion that

war was inevitable, and that the only way the controversy could or

would be settled was by resort to arms, an appeal to the King of

Battles,--a submission to the arbitrament of the sword.

Volunteer military organizations already existed in various parts of

the state; perhaps there was scarcely a county or city in the

Commonwealth that did not have at least one organized volunteer

company.

Many overzealous persons declared their purpose to unite their fortunes

with the states which had already seceded, whatever the course of

Virginia might be, and many of these zealots were so much afraid that

there would be no war, or none in Virginia, that they hurried south;

however, the ardor of at least some of them became somewhat frigid as

the war became flagrant, until it is believed it fell below the

freezing point, and some of them going over to the enemy; helped stir

up the strife, then ran away, and let the other fellows do the

fighting.