The following letter from General McLaws was received by me more than thirty years after the incident just related, as the date indicates:
Savannah, Ga., April 9th, 1897.
My Dear Graber:
Your letter of the 5th reached me yesterday evening, and it gave me great pleasure to receive it, for I have very often spoken of the Texas company which formed my escort for a great deal of the time during that campaign, and always in praise of its daring spirit and its devotion to our cause. And there is no one in the company whose name I have mentioned more often than yours, for I saw more of you personally than of most of them, as you were sometimes connected with my scouting party.
When the Federal Army, which crossed at Fort Royal ferry, commenced its movement northward to meet the column under General Sherman, which came from Savannah, it was your company scouts which gave me notice of it, and I commenced following their movement along one side, which was the left bank of the Salkatchie. The night I left my headquarters was a very cold one, and the troops suffered considerably. I had an A. D. C., a relative of mine, whom I had found in Colcock’s regiment of cavalry, and, not being accustomed to campaigning, he grumbled some as we rode along and my other A. D. C., Mr. Lamar, hearing him, asked what was the matter. He replied, “Lamar, if this is liberty, I would rather be a slave.” We arrived in time to successfully defeat the crossing at Braxton’s Bridge, and I then rode on that night to Reeves’ Bridge, some eight or ten miles above, and, finding everything in readiness, rode on to the bridge above. When I started from Braxton’s Bridge, I had some seven or eight of Colcock’s cavalry, who professed to know the country, and I had sent several of them to find Wheeler’s cavalry, in order to get a force from him to help defend the crossing at Reeves’ Bridge the next day, but I heard afterwards it was not done and in some unaccountable way my escort from Colcock’s cavalry disappeared, every one of them. Fortunately I came across my inspecting officer, Captain King, a very energetic and fearless soldier, and I directed him to go on and bring over a division of cavalry under Wheeler, have them dismounted and placed in line close to the swamps on the right of the infantry force at Reeves’ Bridge. I went on to the bridge above where General Hardee was in command, and he, seeming confident of holding his position, I started back to Reeves’ Bridge alone, my escort having disappeared, as I have stated. On my way back, I came across a camp of a single teamster with his team and wagon. I dismounted, told him who I was, and asked him to feed my horse and let me lie down by his fire and to wake me before daylight, all of which he consented to. Before daylight the next day, I was on my way and arrived at Reeves’ Bridge very early and found that Wheeler had sent me a division of cavalry which was placed as I had directed. I met Captain King, who told me of the daring ride of you and himself, and of your desperate venture to find the cavalry, and for which I was very grateful, for, had it not been for additional force thus acquired, the enemy would have crossed above me early in the day, for the Salkhatchie had fallen so much that it had become fordable and the enemy were crossing not only above, but parties crossed between Reeves’ and Braxton’s bridges, and after crossing in sufficient numbers to warrant it they would have come down on my flank at Reeves’ bridge, and I would have had to retire. The presence of the cavalry prevented this. The cavalry late in the day, having exhausted its ammunition, I directed that they be formed mounted in the woods in the rear, and to charge any body of the enemy attempting to make a flank attack of the force at the bridge. This condition continued until sundown, when I directed the officer in command at the bridge to increase his force in the fortifications protecting the bridge and then to withdraw his artillery by hand, and as night approached the troops were withdrawn and I directed them to march directly to the rear and bivouac after going four or five miles. I then rode towards Braxton’s bridge alone, my Carolina cavalry escort never returning to me. As I rode along I saw a mounted man sitting on his horse looking intently down the road. As I approached he heard my coming and turning recognized me and spoke quickly, telling me that the enemy had crossed and were between us and Braxton’s bridge. I told him to go ahead and act as scout and keep a good lookout. So on we went until we saw a man on horseback. His horse was half hidden in a blacksmith’s shop. He also was looking down the road intently, and, as I came up, he also said the enemy had crossed, and were occupying the road. I told him to join the other man and go ahead. We had not gone far when I heard the rapid gallop of a number of horses, and I thought to myself if the enemy have crossed cavalry I may be captured, so I withdrew a little off the road, so as to have a chance of running quickly to my infantry in the rear. A considerable body appeared, dashing wildly on, each man having his pistol drawn, and, as they came near, I was saluted with wild hurrahs. It was the lieutenant with his Texas company, who told me that he had heard I had been captured, and he had determined to rescue me at the risk of the lives of all, and the men demanded it. Of course, I was much gratified, and, feeling myself secure, we rode on rapidly to find out what had been done at Braxton’s bridge. As we went, the first of the parties who had crossed the river were visible but a short distance away, three or four hundred yards along the edge of the river swamp to which they had retired. We halted where the Braxton bridge road joined the one I was on, and I sent in my staff officer, Captain King, to tell the officer to march his command in my direction. After waiting a long time, word came that he had started his command on another road. He had become alarmed, because parties of the enemy had been seen by his command to cross the river above him, and he was apprehensive of being intercepted. I let him go, although his scare cost his men a good many more miles of marching. My escort, with myself in charge, rode on towards the Ediste, bringing up the rear. I would very much like to read your account of what took place when you were with Paysinger. He would come in after a scout between twelve and daylight at night, and would report to me at once, and he gave valuable information as to the movements of the enemy.
The morning after the Battle of Bentonville he came to my tent about three o’clock a. m., and told me that the enemy were moving on our left. I so reported to General Hardee, but he had been notified by General Hampton that the enemy were marching on my right, and I was sent with my command on the right. I then told General Hardee that I was apprehensive that there was a mistake, that I was so certain that our left would be attacked and not the right, I would not fortify it, but wait for the order to return to the left. We had not been on the right an hour before General Hardee came himself in great haste, calling for my command to hurry to the left, and we did get back just in time to check the enemy. Of the things done in these days there are many that I would like very much to have related again by those who were participants, but it would hardly do to put them in print. The conduct of the enemy was, however, so exasperating that there was no treatment too harsh as a punishment for their misdeeds, and I have always regretted that there had not been more scouting parties organized to follow in the wake of Sherman’s army and circulate on his flank. Your company acting as scouts, as well as escort, working in small parties, encouraging individual daring and enterprise, was equally as efficient as a much larger body moving in compact mass under one head.
I shall always remember with pleasure the duties you performed while acting as my escort and also the pleasure I had in my personal intercourse with you, as individuals. I always kept in my mind that the individual soldier was entitled to be treated with the respect due to a gentleman, if his behavior warranted it. This in our Southern army. You will oblige me by assuring all of Company B of my high regard and respect for them individually as brave and honorable men, and collectively as an organized company, for I gave them a chance to show their characters in both ways, and was sorry to part with you all.
Very truly your obedient servant,
L. McLAWS.
We served with General McLaws until after the Battle of Bentonville and to the time of surrender of Johnston’s army at Jonesboro, North Carolina, never uniting with the regiment again, though occasionally meeting with them, notably at the Battle of Bentonville, where they distinguished themselves by one of the most brilliant charges ever made by cavalry. This charge was made without our company (as we were with General McLaws and the infantry) and resulted in the safety of the whole army by saving an only bridge across a deep river, the only means of retreat of the army. It seems this bridge was guarded by some of Hampton’s cavalry, when General Sherman ordered Mower’s corps to make a dash around our left flank and capture this bridge and destroy it. While Mower was proceeding to do this by a rapid advance in the rear of our army, he had his pioneer corps with their spades and picks ready to entrench, and when in sight of the bridge, he poured a volley on the South Carolina cavalry, who immediately abandoned it. General Hardee dashed up to where our regiment was formed, at the time perhaps not numbering two hundred men, and asked, “Who commands this regiment?” A Lieutenant Matthews spoke and said he was in command of the regiment this morning. The general asked, “Lieutenant, can you hold those people in check until I can bring up the infantry and artillery?” He answered, “General, we are the boys that can try,” and called to the Rangers to “Come on.”