130 Southern Historical Society Papers.
repeating to me some unfavorable criticisms of his West Virginia campaign, which he had recently heard from an officer whom he had met, when the General rode up to Colonel Hagood's quarters. This criticism deterred both of us from seeking his acquaintance. These were the last words of censure of our great captain which I ever heard from a soldier's lips.
I have no doubt that Dantzler regretted, as I shall do as long as I live, that we lost the opportunity of standing in the presence of, and hearing the voice of the man whom every Confederate soldier soon learned to love so much. He never issued the order announcing that he had taken command of the department of South Carolina, but instead, we were informed that he had gone to Richmond"* command all the armies of the Confederacy, and that General Pem- berton was our commanding officer.
The new general visited Battery Island about the loth of March unannounced. I was not favorably impressed by him, and I now believe that I was not then mistaken in my estimate of the man. After inspecting my batteries and dining with me, he went to Cole's Island. I have reason to think that on this visit he came to the con- clusion to abandon the Stono as a line of defence.
On Sunday, the Qth of March, Mr. Mellichamp, an Episcopal min- ister, visited us and held service in our camp. He had a good many acquaintances in the Washington Light Infantry. He preached a good sermon, and everybody was pleased with the venerable man of God.
On Monday, the lyth day of March, I left the company in com- mand of Lieutenant T. J. China, and went to the city, in obedience to orders received the previous week, for the purpose of taking my seat as a member of a court-martial. I went in the cart which be- longed to the post, and was driven by Private Garner to the camp of the regiment, commanded by Colonel L. M. Keitt. After a soldier's breakfast with the Colonel and my friend, Dantzler, who had left the First regiment and been promoted to be Lieutenant-Colonel, these gentlemen kindly sent a detail of men to row me across Cooper river to Charleston. Their camp was almost opposite White Point. Colonel J. Foster Marshall was president of the court, Captain J. M. Perrin, of Gregg's old regiment, who had been my much esteemed friend in the Fort Sumter campaign, now a captain in Colonel Mar- shall's regiment, was judge advocate. Colonel J. M. Gadberry, Major
Edward Manigault, Major White, and Captain J. V. Glover
were members of the court. The court sat at the Military Hall, on
