| Montgomery |
| August 12th, 1863 |
| |
| Dearest Jennie |
| I suppose you have received
my telegram letting you know I was not hurt by the run off on the Rail
Road. I last wrote you from Pollard where we were stopped for some
time for want of an engine etc. Well we left at last on Monday morning
at 11/2 O’ck - at that time I was lying asleep on a pile of baggage,
trunks, trace chains, harnes leather etc. [as quartermaster he was
responsible for all equipment] suddenly awakened by the jumping of the
cars, in the next instant I found myself thrown by the turning over of
the car against the opposite side, my ears filled with the noise of
crashing timber, falling baggage etc for a moment I was stunned. On
coming to consciousness, I looked around & out of eight persons in
the car with me (Major [Robert] Pagan, Capt Fassyoux [Fayssoux, C.B.
23rd Regiment, South Carolina Infantry] two Messr Fassyoux, Capt
Moore, Jenkins [WGV’s personal orderly], Mr. Harvey and the
brakeman) there were but two up with me, looking down one of the Mr.
Fs and Harvey, apparently dead, Maj Pagan, the brakeman & Jenkins
unable to move. I went to work, ordering the men outside to brake in
the door & come in - took the various articles off Mr. Harvey,
& clearing away the baggage - finally got all out, opened my
trunk, got out my Brandy & gave to all the wounded, had all the
wounded laid in the shade & ministered to. Meanwhile the
Locomotive went off with the balance of the train to bring surgeons
etc. Now the wreck must be cleared & our articles moved out to be
ready for the returning train, the men were excited hot & tired up
& down the track, here & there - I had to pull them out &
make them work, & it was excessively hot too - I must have looked
like a man out of a row - in my shirt sleeves, face smashed, no time
to wash it, perspiration & sun burning it, full of dust, one boot
& one slipper (for I am still sore from my ankle being inflamed)
there I was from one end to the other, down came the cars, the wounded
are put on board & I am pushing on the baggage, almost all on
& Robert [I believe that Robert was his slave] is not here. I find
he is gone after my shawl etc. - see him coming - hurry up & at
last drag him on by the hand.
|
| We reach Greenville [AL]
three miles from the scene of our disaster {therefore,
the wreck was on the Alabama & Florida (of Alabama) RR},
there we have to leave Mr. Harvey who is very badly injured - Jenkins
bruised on the shoulders, Major Pagan bruised badly - all somewhat
bruised, my forehead, nose, cheekbone, eyebrow, knee, got all bruised,
my face handsomely scarred.
|
At
Greenville the conductor says he must go on in 20 minutes, I ask if he
has a car for our baggage & selves - no sir - Well, said I, you
don’t go from here without me, men & baggage. Can’t get a car
sir. Must have it - take one off of …[following part of page is
missing:]
Well he could see if the conductor …
I must see him too & off I go to …
time he is found - I ask can he …
way of coupling on the car…
by our collision - I suggested one…
last one is practicable if he …
one , well one is not enough …
I send a man to get the chains …
my baggage out in the car & …
to be routed out & sharpened up & …
to see how my chain business is coming …
The conductor says I cant carry this with one chain …
have another. My men say Captain there is not another, don’t tell me
so I roar at them. There is another - come here - I make a rush to
where some of our wagons are, what’s that? Fastened, captain, to a
single tree [ a wooden harness piece] . . . knock it off quick. Done.
back we go & again they are to work - back I rush to see how my
baggage gets on - don’t move fast enough - hurry up - hurrah! Back I
get into car & there behold some citizens safely ensconced for a
ride to Montgomery “get out gentlemen, you can’t ride here &
they must go” & at last out they go, one man swears he will hold
on. Says I, I’ll have you put out - After a while he sends a note
that he is on public business |
|
[another piece is missing:]
… him off, he will regard
it as a
… I send for Capt Jones
to come to
… none, states his
business - Why
… at first. Instead of
insisting
… to go? Well he was
irritated - Now
… on public business. You
may go
… your threat - Certainly
he would
… a threat - he was
irritated etc To that
… family underway after a
time &
… day at 3 A.M. - I got
off my mules
… morrow my wagon - All
of my pots
… smashed up, my
housekeeping arrange
… pen up - two of my
ambulances broken up
… mals all uninjured -
Our car was the only one that turned over & tis a merciful
Providence all were not killed, for my kit ware, trunks, boxes &
all manner of baggage was there - Some men were thrown from the other
cars & injured, in all I suppose about 15 men injured.
|
| We must my darling wife
render special thanks to God for so mercifully preserving our lives,
especially my life under such immanent danger. Such a complete wreck
of matter I never saw, road all torn up & rails torn off - You may
depend I feel bruised & sore enough , tired and worn out, &
will be glad when we get to our journey’s end. [He probably knew he
was headed to help defend Charleston, his home town.] All this
attending to Bryan’s business. [Major Bryan, Brigade Quartermaster
was a slacker, leaving many of his duties to WGV] never mind it is for
the good of all -
|
| God bless you
dearest & my little ones. Love to Mother & all I expect to
leave here on tomorrow. My best love for you - Your own loving Hubby
WGV
|
| |
| As promised I am posting
the letter that Linda's great great grandfather who was a major in the
Quartermasters wrote after he was involved in a second accident in
August of 1863. Unfortunately part of the letter is torn. He does not
mention casualties from other units, but does detail the accident that
occurred in 1863 as his regiment was traveling from Mississippi after
the fall of Vicksburg in July 1863.
|
| Ron Skellie |
|
Posted Thursday, 30 June
2011, 2:23 pm at http://history-sites.com/
on the Mississippi in the Civil War Message Board |
|