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Image: "2nd South Carolina" by @Gettmore https://civilwartalk.com/threads/may-2017-potm-now-accepting-entries.133070/#post-1512149
It was the death of Major General Joseph B. Kershaw on April 13, 1894 that prompted Pvt. David Brailsford to submit his recollections to the newspaper. Brailsford vividly recalls the anticipation; the arrival of Kirby Smith; the conspicuous part played by Kemper's battery; the charge on the Zouaves; the capture of Rickett's battery; Edmund Ruffin riding in on the cannon; the pursuit of the retreating enemy; and the capture of "Long Tom." He opines on the heroic conduct of members of his regiment and the consummate skill with which Kershaw handled his command. The article was published in The Anderson Intelligencer on July 04, 1894. Due to its length, it will be excerpted and posted in multiple parts.
Joseph Brevard Kershaw (b. 1822) was a South Carolina lawyer. He served in the Mexican War and was elected to the South Carolina State Senate in 1852. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Kershaw was commissioned Colonel of the 2nd South Carolina. During the Battle of Fort Sumter, he was present at Morris Island. During the battle of First Manassas, Kershaw's regiment, the 2nd South Carolina, and the 8th South Carolina were detached from the rest of Bonham's South Carolina brigade.
David Wigfall Brailsford (8 September 1843 - 4 August 1915), the author of the reminiscences, was a young Private in Kershaw's regiment at First Manassas. He enlisted in May 1861 at age 17 as a Private in Capt G B Cuthbert's Company, which became company I, 2nd South Carolina. He later saw service in the 7th SC Cavalry (March 1862 until Feb 1865.)
Joseph B Kershaw eventually made Major General and commanded a division in Longstreet's First Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia. After the war, he served again in the State Senate and a judge in the Circuit Courts 1877 to 1893, when he resigned due to ill health. He was appointed postmaster in Camden SC in 1894 and died later that year on April 13. He was 72 years old. The article below was prompted by David W. Brailsford's memory of, and admiration for, General Kershaw.
July 17, 1861
...The soldier eye of Beauregard had selected the banks of Bull Run as his line of defense, and the troops were hurried forward from Manassas as fast as the trains, which were running night and day without stopping, could land them from Richmond. Our brigade was selected to defend Mitchell's Ford, just where the stream was crossed by the great highway running from Manassas to Washington, and upon which road the enemy was now moving with his entire army to force a passage of the stream at this point. Kershaw's regiment was precisely at the crossing, with his breastworks on either side of the highway, and with the other regiments of the brigade extending up the southern bank of the stream.
THE BULL RUN SKIRMISH
Col. Kershaw was charged with conduct of affairs in his immediate front. About midday the enemy were reported by our cavalry videtted at a point two miles in our front and advancing. Col. Kershaw ordered Capt. Wallace, of the Columbia Grays (Co. C), to take his company beyond the stream to a point he had selected on the highway in the yard of a farm house and occupy it as an outpost and one of observation. He also threw across the stream a section of two guns of Kemper's battery, and ordered Capt. Cuthbert to protect them with the Palmetto Guard (Co. I.)
Kemper placed his guns in a field to the left of the road just below the crest of a hill, over which the brass muzzles of his dogs of war just peeped, the Palmetto Guard taking position on the left and in line with his guns. We were in this position just a few minutes when a volley from the Grays announced that they had opened the ball, and we saw a trooper leading in a wounded horse, which proved to be that of a drunken officer who rode up to Capt. Wallace inquiring for some Northern General, and whom the humane Wallace tried to save from certain death by making him his prisoner, but the poor fellow could not realize his surroundings, and reeling in his saddle he wheeled his horse and attempted to escape and was beyond capture when the Grays fired, riddling him with bullets.
From our position could now be plainly seen heavy columns of the enemy's infantry deploying into line of battle and forming on both sides of the highway. Their immense numbers, the steadiness and precision with which they rapidly took their positions in line was thrilling to witness. Just to their rear and on an elevation was placed a 24-pounder, the largest gun ever pulled along as part of a field battery, and which opened fire with a thundering discharge that sent a shell way above our heads, beyond our breastworks on Bull Run and exploded harmlessly on the hills above. This was answered by a defiant Rebel yell that rolled like a great wave for miles along our lines. This shelling was continuous while the column was advancing to the attack.
<To be continued.>
Source: The Anderson Intelligencer., (Anderson Court House, SC), July 04, 1894, page 1.NOTE: The OP image, entitled "2nd South Carolina" was borrowed from @Gettmore - previously posted here https://civilwartalk.com/threads/may-2017-potm-now-accepting-entries.133070/#post-1512149 It's a fantastic image and perfect for this posting here with Brailsford's account. Thanks @Gettmore !!!!!
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