Marlboro County, South Carolina - Chapter 29, 1897

South Carolina seceded from the union of States byunanimous vote of a convention held in Charleston, December 20, i860. It is too late to discuss the issues involved or to recount the various causes which led up to such action on the part of the State. It is sufficient to say that heated and partisan discussions in Congress, having a strong sectional flavor, on States* rights and constitutional limitations, aggravated and intensified by the slavery agitation, if not the cause, had much to do with bringing it to pass. Marlboro was represented in that Secession Convention by Wm. D. Johnson, Dr. A. McLeod and ¥., W. Goodwin, whose* actions, with very few exceptions, were endorsed by the people.

Early in the year 1861 the whole Southland was astir with preparation for the inevitable. One thought filled every mind "from rosy morn till dewy eve"; that thought was ever present. The peaceful slumber of the night was disturbed by dreams of that waking thought. That thought was dark, grim-visaged war. Volunteer companies were formed of the flower and strength of the land. From hilltop and valley, from mountain to the sea, men of all classes were enlisting and tendering their services to the State. Our people thought themselves right and fought with as true valor and as pure patriotism as men ever did. The men of Marlboro did their duty nobly in the contest. Before the war Marlboro had an organized regiment of militia of eight small companies, and a voting population of twelve or thirteen hundred, and yet furnished to the Confederate army eight full companies, not including the reseryes. After the lapse of more than a quarter of a cen- tury, the survivors of the war are known from other men of like age by the empty sleeve or artificial limb or faded cheek, and not by their abandoned habits and dissipation, for they have not been less law abiding or more turbulent or violent than others in like circumstances of trial, nor have they been outstripped in the struggle for material prosperity. It is not the smouldering embers of the flame which so raged in every bosom and made good soldiers of the men who fought that has sometimes given the preference in civil affairs to the scarred veteran, but because the warrior bore himself as a man upon the field, andxame out of the strife unharmed, and with steady aim in peace as in war, has stood for the right, and shown himself worthy of the confidence and suffrages of his fellows. Whether the fighting qualities of the soldiers Marlboro furnished to the ranks will bear a favorable comparison with other troops, it may not be proper here to say; but that their morals, industry, integrity, attention to business and honorable success in life's struggle since the war, can bear the test of comparison with other classes, can truthfully be said. The country has honored them, kind Providence has smiled upon them, their business has prospered, their plans have succeeded and to-day they could walk arm in arm over the battlefields with the men they fought, and breathe no curse and harbor no disloyalty. Let not the character and deeds of those who fought the battles and endured the hardships of the war, be misunderstood by the generations yet to come. Let it be remembered that it was a pure devotion to their country's call that caused them to buckle their armor on and take the field. Their convictions of duty were as honest as were those of our Revolutionary sires, and they braved danger and death for their country's sake. They died daring to stand against tremendous odds, because in their heart of hearts they felt that duty called them there. Let the children and children's childen of the Confederate soldiers of Marlboro remember that their sires fought and died for a principle they held dear. Let not the poets, orators, and authors of the land of the victors, in recording the glories of the victors, forget to do justice to the vanquished. Let them not make the impression upon our posterity that our fathers made a traitorous and dishonorable assault upon the principles of free government, virtue and right.

The following pages will give the names of the officers and privates who went from Marlboro to the Confederate War. Through the kindness of officers and men who wore the gray we are enabled to publish a full list of all the commands that went to the field of strife from Marlboro. A number of men have come into the county from other States whose names will not appear, but who honorably did their duty in other commands from other States.

2d Lieutenant, John R. Parker. Elected ist lieutenant May, 1862. Wounded Fredericksburg, Knoxville, Gettysburg. Captain at close of war. AJive.

Killed in battle, 13; died during war, 22; wounded, 37; discharged, 11; transferred, 17; retired. 3; died since war, 17; lost sight of, 6; living 49.

and died. Cameron McKinnon, 2d sergeant; living. John Gunter, 3d sergeant; wounded Knoxville; alive. John C. Calhoun, 3d sergeant; dead. Lauchlin A. McLaurin, 4th sergeant; died since ^yar. Crawford McCall,ist corporal ;killed Gettysburg July, 1863. Nathan T. Alford, 2d corporal; wounded Wilderness;

On December 25, 1861, Company **F," 21st Regiment, S. C. v., was formally accepted and enrolled for service by the State authorities. On January 6, 1862, orders were received to report at Charleston, but later orders sent the company first to Georgetown, S. C.

Killed in battle, 31; died in hospital of wounds, 5; died in hospital and at home on sick leave, 20; died in prison, 18; accidentally killed, i. Total killed 75.

Captured and kept in prison till close of war, 23; discharged for cause, 16; transferred to other commands, 7; wounded and continued to serve, 33. Taking out the discharged and transferred and there were 121 men, rank and file. 131 captures and casualties, of the whole number enlisted now living 57, and unknown as to whereabouts, 12. Total number enlisted, 144.

Was organized in the summer of 1861 for State service. In December the company was received into the service, and assigned to duty at Charleston, South Carolina. In June, 1862, the company was mustered into the Confederate service and assigned to the Army of Tennessee May 6th, i86i.

Was originally organized in Marlboro County in the latter part of the year 1861. The Company left Marlboro for Georgetown, South Carolina, January 22, 1862, and in the spring of 1864 were transferred to Virginia and became a part of Butler's Brigade of Hampton's Division. The following is a list of the officers and privates:

Where not marked "dead," supposed to be alive. Wounded, 16; killed in battle, 8*, captured, 9; difed during war, 29; died since war, 39; alive, 55.

A list of Marlboro men who enlisted in Captain James A. Peterkin's cavalry company, but when the company was disbanded, they united with the Hampton Legion.

The figures above show that 12 per cent, of the whole number of men enlisted in all the commands were killed in battle; 18 per cent, died during the war; 17 per cent, have died since the war; 16 per cent, were wounded, and about one-third of the number yet survive. Valuable assistance has been kindly and freely rendered by the officers and men in the preparation of the foregoing rolls, for which thanks are due and hereby given.