THE EDISTO RIFLES. BY MISS MARION SALLEY, ORANGEBURG, S. C.
About the year 1851 a military company was formed in the town of Orangeburg, S. C., known as the Edisto Rifles. The first captain of this company was John J. Salley, and upon his resignation John Vinyard Glover succeeded him, Captain Glover later being elected major of the 14th Regiment of South Carolina Militia, to which the Edisto Rifles was attached. William L. Ehney was his successor as captain of the company and held this position until the State seceded from the Union.
At the breaking out of War between the States, this was one of the first companies in the State to volunteer its services to Governor Pickens. The company was accepted by the Governor and remained in State services until the 22nd day of August following. On the reorganization for active duty on January 22, 1861, the following officers were elected: Thomas J. Glover, captain; John V. Glover, first lieutenant; John H. Felder, second lieutenant; James F. Izlar, third lieutenant.
The uniform adopted was gray coat and trousers trimmed with black, and a gray cap. Each man paid for his own uniform. The company made a very handsome appearance when fully equipped and formed in line.
A short time after the company was organized, the 1st
This article is written { as a tribute to his memory by one of his friends who loved |}
We were then |
Regiment of South Carolina Volunteer Infantry was formed, ind Captain Thomas J. Glover was elected its lieutenant }olonel, First Lieutenant John V. Glover was promoted to saptain of the Edisto Rifles, and other officers promoted n line, Samuel N. Kennerly being elected to fill the vacancy n the office of third lieutenant. To give some idea of the material of which the Edisto Rifles was composed at the yeginning of the War between the States the historian says -hat the captain was a second honor graduate of the South Carolina College; the first lieutenant, a South Carolina Colege graduate; the second lieutenant, a graduate of Yale; che third lieutenant, an honor graduate of Emory College; | she orderly sergeant, a first honor man of Wofford; and many bf the other noncommissioned officers and privates were | rollege men. }
Four companies of this 1st Regiment were from Orangeburg \County, and these four, under the command of Lieut. Col. 'Thomas J. Glover, left there on the 11th day of April, 1861. | IThere was a large crowd at the Orangeburg station to see the 'troops off, and amidst prolonged cheers, waving of handkerchiefs, and firing of cannon the train pulled out. Some lof the enthusiastic citizens had taken one of the old Revolutionary cannon, which had lain rusting on the street for many years, propped it up with a block of wood, loaded it, and fired the parting salute. As the Edisto Rifles were preparing 'or departure, Miss Adella Felder, sister of Lieut. John H. Felder, presented the company with a beautiful silk flag, he presentaion taking place in front of the courthouse. he material of this flag was blue bunting, and it was trimmed with silver cord and tassels and silver fringe. On one side was a white silk palmetto tree and white silk crescent. On the reverse was ''Edisto Rifles" in white silk letters. Beneath the palmetto tree was a white scroll on which was the Latin motto In hoc signo vinces in black letters. The staff was ornamented with a silver star at the top. The flag was delivered to William W. Legare, who was then color bearer of the company. B. W. Izlar, John C. Pike, and L. Hayne Culler were the color guard. This flag was used on all occasions by the company until it was found that so many flags caused confusion in time of battle and only the 'regimental battle flag was allowed; consequently the company flag was placed in a warehouse in Charleston for safe keeping land was never recovered.
The regiment, after reaching Charleston, marched, em|barked, landed, and marched again, until finally it encamped on Morris Island near where Battery Wagner subisequently was located. From here was witnessed the bloodjless bombardment and surrender of Fort Sumter. Being lordered back to Orangeburg, the regiment reached there May 23, 1861, and went into camp about a mile east of the old |Orangeburg Female College. On the 3ist of May the regi|ment was formed and marched to the college campus and there presented with a regimental flag donated by the ladies of Barnwell.
A short time before the First Battle of Manassas, and | while still encamped at Orangeburg, the regiment was temPorarily relieved from duty, subject to orders. Colonel |Hagood, Lieut. John H. Felder, Sergt. Samuel Dibble, Donald J. Rowe, Theodore Kohn, Edmund J. Felder, William C. Meredith, and Paul Jaudon, the seven last being members of the Edisto Rifles, at once went to Virginia and joined com| panies stationed at Fairfax Courthouse, Colonel Hagood and Lieutenant Felder shouldering muskets and fighting in the jranks. On the 15th of July, six members of the Edisto | Rifles—John P. Frederick, Ben C. Izlar, A. Govan Rowe, | William V. Izlar, Jude Robinson, and Murray Robinson—left
Orangeburg for Virginia with the intention of attaching themselves to one company there and taking part in the impending battle. The young men were disappointed in their plans, however, and so shouldered their riflés and returned home. They joined their company on August 20, and on August 22, 1862, the regiment was mustered into Confederate service. The regiment was ordered to the coast again and remained on Cole's Island until April 12,1862, at which time, the year's term having expired, it was disbanded. The Edisto Rifles immediately reénlisted for three years, or the war, under the same officers, and joined the Eutaw Battalion, commanded by Major Charles H. Simonton. Capt. John V. Glover having been promoted to the rank of major and Lieutenant Felder having died of typhoid, Lieut. James F. Izlar then became captain of the company. The Edisto Rifles was then attached to the 25th South Carolina Regiment, which was mustered into Confederate service July 22, 1862. The regiment was stationed at different points on James Island, and was at Secessionville, but the Edisto Rifles escaped without casualty.
The 25th Regiment did duty on the coast until May, 1864, and much effective work done by the Edisto Rifles while there. Sergt. William V. Izlar, from whose history these facts are gleaned, says of the duty of the Edisto Rifles at Fort Wagner September, 1863, that this ''was the most fearful experience of the four years of war; especially the last three days and nights. No water, no sleep, very little to eat, and all the while fifteen inch shells were being hurled in broadsides against the fort and the silent and suffering but faithful little garrison by the powerful armament of the enemy's fleet. The mangled dead lay thick on every side, and their fast decaying remains under a hot September sun impregnated the atmosphere with a sickening, noisome odor. All of this, added to the groans of the dying and shrieks of the wounded, was enough to cause the stoutest heart to shudder and blanch the cheeks of the bravest of the brave.
In May, 1864, the regiment was ordered to Virginia, and as to the part taken by the Edisto Rifles at Petersburg the company was reported for having acted with conspicuous gallantry; at Drewry's Bluff, and other places, the records of the men themselves will tell their story. The engagement which seemed to appeal most strongly to Lieutenant Izlar was the bloody battle of Weldon Railroad. He held that "this charge of Hagood's Brigade does not suffer by comparsion with the charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava." He says the Light Brigade engaged 607 and lost 406, while Hagood's Brigade engaged 740 and lost 448. The records will show the remnant who came back when hostilities were over.
Some years afterwards, the Edisto Rifles was reorganized and armed and equipped, playing important parts in the days of Reconstruction. Samuel Dibble was made captain, William V. Izlar, 1st lieutenant; and George Vose, 2nd lieutenant. Then,asthe years passed by, there were various changes, and when the Spanish War came on the Edisto Rifles volunteered as a company and went to Cuba under command of Capt. D. O. Herbert. For some years thereafter the Edisto Rifles was a part of the State National Guard, but finally disbanded. Probably the last event participated in by the company was the march to Felders, five miles below Orangeburg, and the firing of the salute there over the last resting place of William V. Izlar.
Following is the record of every member who served the Confederate cause, as far as can be learned:
Captain John V. Glover; promoted to major, 25th Regiment, 1862: wounded at Cold Harbor, Va., June 16, 1864; died June 19, 1864, in a hospital in Richmond.
Capt. James F. Izlar, captured at Fort Fisher, N. C., January 15, 1865;
First Lieut. Samuel N. Kennerly, killed at Weldon Railroad, Va., August 21, 1864.
First Lieut. Samuel Dibble, captured while scouting Long Island, S. C., July, 1863; released on parole October, 1863; afterwards exchanged; reported for duty, December 1864; captured at Town Creek, N. C., February 10, 1865.
Second Lieut. George H. Elliott, killed at Drewry's Bluff, Va., May 16, 1864.
Second Lieut. Joseph Graves, wounded at Weldon Railroad, August 21, 1864. Captured at Fort Fisher, N. C., January 15, 1865.
First Sergt. Ben P. Izlar, wounded May 16, 1864, at Drewry's Bluff, Va.; wounded August 21, 1864, at Weldon Railroad; captured January 15, 1865, at Fort Fisher, N. C.
Second Sergt. J. H. Hook, wounded May 16, 1864, at Drewry's Bluff, Va.
Third Sergt. Jacob E. Rast, killed May 7, 1864, at Walthall Junction, Va.
Fourth Sergt. William V. Izlar, captured February 10, 1865, at Town Creek, N. C.
Fifth Sergt. L. Hayne Culler, captured February 10, 1865, at Town Creek, N. C.
Sergt. Ira T. Shoemaker, captured January 15, 1865, at Fort Fisher, N.C.
First Corp. William Paulling, wounded August 21, 1864, at Weldon Railroad.
Corp. Theodore Kohn, wounded May 16, 1864, at Drewry's Bluff, Va.'
Corp. Judge Robinson, wounded May 16, 1864, at Drewry's Bluff, Va. At surrender of Johnston's Army April 26, 1865.
Corp. J. Robert Kennerly, killed at Drewry's Bluff, May 16, 1864.
Corp. Jacob C. Bozzard, captured February 10, at Town Creek, N.C.
1865,
PRIVATES.
A. M. Adjer at surrender of Johnston's Army, April 26, 1865.
Morgan L. Austin, killed at Drewry's Bluff.
James H. Arant, wounded at Drewry's Bluff; captured at Town Creek.
Furman M. Antley, captured at Fort Fisher.
John Ashe, wounded at Drewry's Bluff.
D. A. Ayers.
Henry Bailey, captured at Fort Fisher.
Charles Bailey, captured at Fort Fisher; died at Elmira, N. Y., April 19, 1865.
J. W. Benton.
John D. Bozzard.
David T. Bozzard, captured at Fort Fisher.
Stephen.E. Bozzard, wounded at Petersburg; at surrender of Johnston's Army. (The last survivuor and whose name has been changed to Stephen E. Early, Orangeburg, S. C.)
Lawrence F. Brabham, died.
Rufus W. Bonnett, died.
Marion D. Bronson, captured at Town Creek, N. C.
Henry Brown, captured at Town Creek, N. C.; wounded at Drewry's Bluff.
David Brown, captured at Town Creek.
James P. Bruce, wounded at Weldon Railroad.
Aiken W. Bull, wounded at Secessionville, 1862.
A. Collins.
William E. Crawford, captured at Fort Fisher; died at Elmira, N. Y., March 8, 1865.
Confederate Veteran. t
George B. Crider, killed at Weldon Railroad.
David W. Dantzler, captured at Fort Fisher; died at Elmira | N. Y., April 1, 1865.
John M. Dantzler, died at home on furlough.
M. J. D. Dantzler, promoted to assistant surgeon and} assigned to duty with a Florida regiment.
Evan Darnold.
S. C. Darnold, died in a hospital in Charleston, 1863.
Fred S. Dibble, detailed as clerk in 1863 and returned to | company by request in 1864. |
Patrick Doyle, detailed for duty in Charleston. |
G. W. B. Fairey, killed at Drewry's Bluff.
Franz J. Frieze, killed at Weldon Railroad.
H. Froberg.
Sylvanus Hall, wounded at Legare's Place, James Island, | S. C., in July 1863, and killed near Petersburg, Va., in June, } 1864.
Samuel R. Hall, wounded at Walthall Junction, Va. |
J. M. O. Holman wounded at Walthall Junction, Va.;} captured at Town Creek, N. C. 1
John Hook.
Joseph A. Holstein, captured at Fort Fisher, N. C.; died i in) Elmira N. Y., March 7, 1865.
Samuel P. Hook, captured at Fort Fisher, N. C.; died March 8, 1865, at Elmira, N. Y.
Lawrence L. Hook, died at home of disease.
A. J. Inabinet, captured at Fort Fisher, N. C.
Frank S. Inabinet, mortally wounded and died at Drewry' S| Bluff.
Charles G. Inabinet, captured at Fort Fisher, N. C.
E. E. Inabinet, wounded at Walthall Junction, Va.
Laban A. Irick, captured at Fort Fisher, N. €.
E. D. Irick, captured at Town Creek, N. C.
Elliott H. Irick, wounded at Drewry's Bluff, Va.
Laurie T. Izlar, captured at Town Creek, N. C.
Adolphus M. Izlar, captured at Fort Fisher, N. C.
Lewis W. Jenkins, killed at Walthall Junction, Va.
William C. Meredith, detached as a sergeant in the Ambulance Corps.
W. A. Moody.
Emmanuel Murphy, captured at Fort Fisher, N. C.
Evan Myers, wounded at Battery Wagner, September, 1863.
Luther Myers, wounded at Legare's Place, James Island, S.C. |
Fred Myers, captured at Fort Fisher, N. C. |
John M. O'Cain, died at home on furlough, November, 1864.
Elinor Ott, captured at Fort Fisher, N. C.; died at Elmira, — N. Y.
Elias Ott, died in a hospital near Petersburg, Va.
J. D. Ott, wounded at Weldon Railroad, captured Yat Fort Fisher; died on way home from Elmira, N. Y. YC} {
Fred M. Rast, wounded at Battery Wagner, captured at Town Creek, N. C.
Lewis Rast.
Moses A. Rawlenson, killed at Battery Wagner.
Abram S. Rawlenson, died in North Carolina, on the way home in 1865.
William J. Rawlenson, captured at Town Creek, N. G
William C. Rives, captured at Fort Fisher, N. C.
Murray Robinson, captured at Town Creek, N. C.
Lewis F. Rush, killed at Cold Harbor, N. C., June, 1864.
Zermerus L. Scott, captured at Fort Fisher, N. C.
B. H. Sanders, wounded at Drewry's Bluff; captured'at | Fort Fisher.
Andrew J. Smoak, wounded at Drewry's Bluff.
Jefferson Stokes, wounded at Darbytown Road, Va., i December, 1864. At surrender of Johnston's Army.
Obedia J. Syphrett, wounded at Drewry's Bluff; captured t Fort Fisher.
Jesse Sanford, captured at Fort Fisher, N. C.; died at =Imira, N. Y. John C. Tatum, surrendered with Johnston's army. William W. Taylor, killed at Weldon Railroad. E. M. Wolfe. Peter Wolfe, killed at Fort Fisher, N. C. John L. Perry and D. J. Culcleasure enlisted under age.
Killed or died of wounds.................. 17 \Woumalaals 33S cco se emus oe poco aoe aooodes 24 WDiedeofidiseasearyak scsi cietece G aievonesaiaie wuels 5 Captured and died in prison............... 30 Captured and returned home.............. 30 Biv inceiny lO 24 erie ietes: Se aa eset 2
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LINES WRITTEN ON THE OCCASION OF THE BRINGING HoME OF THE BopiEs or Cot. THOMAS J. GLOVER AND HIs BROTHER, LIEUT. LESLIE GLOVER.
Sleep, brothers, sleep—from different battle fields, Borne sadly back upon your spotless shields,
At home to rest. Close by the grave of her that gave you birth, We lay you in the soil that on the earth
You loved the best.
'T were fitting we should place you side by side Who for the same loved cause so nobly died,
| So manfully!
Lovely and pleasant in your lives were ye, And now in death shall not divided be. Sleep peacefully!
The thought of those that cheerfully have died For her is now our country's only pride,
Their graves she'll prize, For them sad Liberty shows tear-stained cheeks, As, spurning this unworthy earth, she seeks
Her native skies.
They found her there who upward from the strife Have passed into a higher, nobler life. They now are free. We bear our heavy lot as best we may. In God's good time, with them we hope one day At rest to be.
ORANGEBURG, S. C. October 19, 1866.