CHAPTER
XCVI
Wednesday, 8th. We marched about nine miles. The greater part of the day’s march we passed
through the turpentine districts. As far
as the eye could trace nothing but a forest of gigantic pines could be seen.
The trees were nearly all tapped, that is an elongated
incision was cut into the trunk of the tree, forming a pocket from three to
five inches in depth and fully six inches in width at the surface, and in which
the sap of the tree is deposited and which is collected in its crude state and
sent to the refineries where it is manufactured into turpentine.
Thursday 9th. We marched about 7 miles over a delightful
road. The Troops were in good spirits
and everything passed off pleasantly.
Spring with its balmy breezes, its early flowers and the songs of the
feathered tribe, was again putting in its appearance and all nature was again
fully awakened and was rapidly exchanging its somber garments and donning the
gay and gorgeous apparel of beauty.
Another source of pleasure as well as gratification to
the members of old Company G, was the fact that our three year term of
enlistment was rapidly drawing to a close, and only six months more of service
remained for us, and each day as it passed over our heads, hastened the coming
of that time when we should stack our faithful old rifles for the last time and
bidding adieu to the scenes of warfare be received with outstretched arms by
those who were near and dear to us.
Friday, 10th. We marched about four miles and went into
camp for the night.
Saturday, 11th. We marched about 11 miles and struck the
plank road. As we moved down the road
the boys started up singing some of their old army songs, such as “John Brown,”
“Rally Round the Flag, Boys,” “We’ll Hang Jeff Davis on a Sour Apple Tree,”
&c., keeping step to the time; truly the North Carolinians could see how
the “Union Boys came marching on.” We
crossed the little Peedee river during the day.
Sunday 12th. We broke camp about nine o’clock, a. m., and
marched about 14 miles, encamping a short distance from Fayetteville. The 14th Corps having taken
possession of the town.
Monday 13th. The doings of the 13th
of March 1864 , will never be forgotten by the members of Company G,
as upon this day one its honored members, Serg’t. Isaac D. Witmer, Sergeant
Major of the Regiment, was shot, and almost instantly killed by a guard
belonging to the 104th Ohio . We have never been able to gather a full and
correct account of the ill-fated accident, owing to the conflicting stories in
circulation at the time. The following
are the facts as we learned them at the time of the occurrence.
The regiment broke camp at about 5
o’clock , p. m., and was moved into town preparatory to crossing the
Cape Fear River .
Owing to the fact that the troops were compelled to cross the river on a
single pontoon bridge, as well as the train and all the munitions of war, considerable
time was taken up in crossing the river.
The Colonel ordered the regiment to stack arms and to rest in the rear
of the stack.
The 14th Corps’ troops were on duty in the
town, and every effort was made by its officers to prevent the wanton destruction
of property. But not withstanding all
their efforts and endeavors a storehouse, containing flour and meal, which the
officers intended to confiscate for the use of the men, was fired. Soon the boys rushed in and began to carry
away the supplies as fast as they were thrown out of the burning building.
The officer in charge of the town ordered a cordon of
sentinels, consisting of the provo guards
around the burning building, embracing a distance of several squares, with
strict orders not to allow any one, under any circumstances to pass through.
A number of the men belonging to our regiment had
strayed away from the stacks and had gone to see the fire, and the result was
that when the orders came for the regiment to fall in, but a handful of the men
could be found to move with.
The Colonel ordered Sergeant Major Witmer to go into
town and order all the boys of the 147th he could find to report to
the regiment.
Sergeant Witmer started out in great haste and soon
reached the guards at the square. Here,
as a matter of course, he was ordered to HALT!
A short parley ensued and the Serg’t. succeed in
passing the first guard but scarcely had he done so, ere he was ordered to halt
by a second guard. Intent upon his
errand he passed on, when the guard raised his rifle and fired. The ball carried away the entire top part of
his head almost killing him instantly. A
number of the men belonging to the regiment came up and his remains were
carried back to the regiment.
Great excitement was occasioned by the shooting, and
there was considerable danger of a riot.
This was prevented by the arresting of the man who did the shooting and
the rapid moving the White Star troops across the river.
A detail, consisting of Sergeants Schroyer, Eby,
Corporal Ulrich, and privates Griggs and Garman, under the command of Lt.
Parks, was left back with the remains for the purpose of interring it on the
morrow.
In the morning the detail made the necessary
arrangements to perform the last sad rites over the remains of their dead comrade.
They washed him and after searching several houses, they found a webb of
muslin, from which they tore ten or fifteen yards and then wrapped him up in
it. After considerable trouble and
delay, they succeeded in procuring an old hatchet, saw and nails, which they
found in an old citizens house, although he positively denied that he had
either. They at once proceeded to make
an coffin, which was made out of thirty-two pieces of boards. After the box was completed, a small tuft of
hay was placed in one end of the box, a piece of muslin was spread over the
bottom of the box, whilst the corpse was laid down on it tenderly and gently;
then taking a last fond look at the remains of one who had been a brave soldier
and a pleasant and agreeable companion, they covered it over him. The lid was nailed down, and the detail
looked around for means to remove him to the cemetery.
Several darkies put in an appearance at about this
time, and where requested to show the boys out to the cemeteries. This they declined, upon the grounds that
they had business to do for the massa , and could
not go. There was a top buggy standing
in the alley close to where they were and making an attempt to place the box
cross wise on the buggy, but it was too wide, so the top was broken off, and
the corpse placed on the running gear of the buggy. One of the darkies above referred to, was
placed in the shafts, and the other one was ordered to take hold behind the
buggy and push, and thus the remains were conveyed to the cemetery.
Considerable difficulty was experienced in getting the
necessary implements with which to dig the grave. At last the grave was finished and silently
the remains of their beloved companion was lowered into its last resting
place., while with throbbing hearts they filled up the grave.
Sergeant Eby carved his name, rank and age, together
with the company and regiment upon a head-board and with it marked his last
resting place.
Thus ended the earthly career of one, who in the first
flush of manhood was suddenly called from time into eternity, and who today
rests in his far off southron gave, in a strange land far away from the home of
his childhood.
No. 139, S. 7th St. ,
Phila.
Dear Lumbard: In reading Chapter LXXVI of the History
of Company G 147th P. V. I., I find by reference to my notes, that
you have not quoted the inscription aright on the tombstone you refer to, in
the graveyard of the Episcopal Church at Cheraw, S. C. As I have no doubt you are making arrangements
to reprint the matter in book form, (and I shall be glad to take a number of
copies as a subscriber) it occurs to me to transmit a correct copy.
Yours truly,
JOHN P. NICHOLSON,
Bvt. Col. 28th P. V.
My name - my Country - what are thaty to thee!
What - If high or low my pedigree!
Perhaps - I far surpassed all men!
Perhaps - I fell below them all—What then?
Suffice it stranger that thou seest a tomb.
Thou knowest its use—It hides no matter whom !
Thank you Colonel.
We had no note of the epitaph and knew we were not quoting it correctly,
but endeavored to give the pith of it from memory.
Ed. Tribune.
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