| MILI |
Palmetto Battalion of Light Infantry. Wounded at Chickamauga, Georgia/Tennesse 9/20/1863 according to Boddie-apparently he died of these wounds. 1850 Census Williamsburg County, South Carolina p267 W. Hoyt Poston notes: Was in Civil War, Palmetto Battallion, Light Artillery. Wounded at Chickamauga, Georgia, and died in 1863, likely from wounds.
Sergeant, Company C - He was an unmarried, 21-year old laborer on his father’s farm in 1860 Williamsburg District, South Carolina (South Carolina 1860 Census, Williamsburg District, Page 358) enlisted at age 22 on 16 Aug 1861 at Camp Johnson, Charleston District, South Carolina. He died in a hospital at Augusta, Georgia on 3 November 1863 from wounds suffered in action on 19 or 20 September 1863 in the Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia. At Chickamauga, Co. C (Culpepper’s Battery) was assigned to Brigadier-General Bushrod Rust Johnson’s Division and was specifially a part of Brigadier-General Evander McNair’s Brigade, commanded by Colonel David Coleman of the 39th NC Regiment. The official report of Brigadier-General Bushrod Johnson describes the actions to which Sergeant Coward gave his life. “About 2 p.m. (19 September 1863) the eneTmy in my front advanced and drove in my skirmishers. I ordered Bledsoe’s and Everett’s batteries to open fire, and Culpepper’s battery was brought into action on the left of Gregg’s brigade. The right of Gregg’s and the left of Johnson’s brigades repulsed the attack in that vicinity, but the engagement still continuesd on the left of Gregg’s brigade, where the left regiments were suffering severely” (and were Culpepper’s Battery had been positioned) (Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 30, Chapter 42, Part II, Page 453) Gregg’s brigade, specifically the left, was in serious need of support, and Colonel Coleman, commanding McNair’s brigade (39th NC and 25th AR Infantry Regiments) was ordered to advance as re-enforcements. Colonel Coleman’s official report describes the actions. At 12 noon the 39th North Carolina Regiment and 25th Arkansas were ordered to support General Gregg. Moved rapidly forward, and getting near Gregg’s brigade (then under a terrific fire) charged impetuously with loud cheers over the left of Gregg’s brigade, and drove the enemy in rapid flight through the think woods, across the Chattanooga road, past the small house on the right and into the cornfields beyond, making a distance altogether of about three-quarters of a mile. Here having sustained a heavy loss in killed, the two regiments, finding their tired and weakened line exposed to a fatal flanking fire, especially on the left was ordered back to the woods. The artillery, Captain Culpepper commanding, supported the advance of the remainder of the bridgade so long as it was safe to fire, and then the undergrowth being too thick to advance, remained in the posistion the remainder of the day” (Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 30, Chapter 42, Part II, Pages 499-500). Culpepper’s Co. C suffered heavily on the besieged left of Gregg’s Brigade and again when it advance in support of the charge of McNair’s Brigade to relieve Gregg’s left. Sergeant Coward was likely mortally wounded during this horrific encounter. Brigadier-General Bushrod Johnson in his official report noted: “On the evening of September 19th, my command suffered as much in three hous as during the whole day of September 20th” (Official Records, Series 1, Vol.30, Chapter 42, Part 466). Sgt. Coward had three brothers - William, John and Duncan - of military service age, but none were clearly identifiable in a Confederate regiment, even though Coward soliers from Williamsburg District served with him in the 3rd Artillery. They were the brothers of Mary Ann, Martha E., and Eunice J., and all were the children of Arich and Mary Ann Cockfield Coward of Williamsburg District (South Carolina 1850 Census, Williamsburg District, Page 135). [1, 4, 6] |
1838 - 1863 (25 years)
[7, 8] 