BURKE SCREVEN COUNTY, GA - MILITARY - LETTERS  William Henderson (Battle of Waynesboro)
 
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More information about this battle.

5th Georgia Cavalry of Wheeler's Corps

Re: Dec 1864 Waynesboro Battle


Here are two letters:


William Michael Henderson 
LETTERS SUBMITTED BY CAROLE FARR DREXEL
In “Bivouac” near
Marietta, Geo
                June 16th 1864
 My Dear Annie:
To vanish all gloom I will drop you a few lines giving you
my wharebouts.  We arrived at Marietta on the 7th and to
receive our horses we were sent to our present “Bivouac”
which is (5) five miles from Marietta.  Gen'l. Wheeler will
take us in the field in three or four days.  Our army is
four miles from Marietta and estimated at 85 thousand; that
of the enemy 125 thousand.  We are receiving pretty sharp
skirmishes more or less every day.  I am very anxious to get
to the front.  I am extremely fond of active service, and
anxious to get in to a little brush with the rascals, and if
they don’t brush me out pretty soon beyond a doubt I will
some of them.  I believe it is the general expression
Johnson will fall still father back.  I have the utmost
confidence in Johnson but think he retreated far enough; it
may be one of his strategic moves.  I hope it may be.  The
cannons are keepi! ng a tremendous roaring this morning. 

It made me feel quite melancholy the night we Bivouact in
the campfire of the Geo. Military Institute; it reminded me
so much of my happy school days at old Collinsworth.  Ah!
but I could spend those happy moments over again.

Mr. and Mrs. Farr came to see me while I was at Augusta, she
was very lively.  I do like her company so much.

I looked for cousin Laura as I passed through Atlanta but
could find no one who knew anything about her.  I was so
sorry that I missed seeing her.  Atlanta is a muddy, rusty
little place.  Tell me what has become of Dollie and Menza. 
I expect they have grown to be young men.  I would like to
see them so much.  Dollie and Menza are special favorites
with me, as well as their dear little Auntie.  Ask God how
long before I can see you and marry you.  I will never be
happy until I do marry you and call you mine!  I expect you
think it foolish in me to think of such and I in the
immediate face of the enemy, but I hope by the help of God
to survive this cruel war and return back to you where my
long and unceasing love is dearly reciprocated.  But why
should I write you such loving letters?  You never write me
anything sweet.  I expect you think because I am in camp I
have become careless, which is frequently the case with
soldiers generally, but you never need be afraid of me
loosing or showing any of your letters when I won’t show
them to my own Sister who is nearer to me than any one in
service.

Dear Annie, I am tired of this war.  A poor soldier has a
rough road to travel.  There is only one good time with them
and that’s when they are reading a kind letter from their
sweet heart.

Please write soon.  I am anxious to hear from you.  Direct
to Marietta 5th Geo. Cav. care Col. R. H. Anderson, your
devoted
                                                                                    Wm. Henderson
 Henderson Letter # 2
 
"THE JOUST"
or
(2nd Sergeant Henderson Dismounts and Captures the 9th Michigan Adjutant")


The following letter has been re-keyed several times and may
contain some mistakes which are not Lt. Henderson's..  This
letter is printed in several different publications and was
made available by Everett W. Moriarity from Shelman Bluff in
McIntosh County.  The drawing is by Dr. Ian C. Baillie of
England.

Cameron, Ga. May 18, 1901
Mr. W. H. Howard               
Savannah,
 Friend Warren,

Yours of the 9th desiring to know what command I belonged to
during the Civil War, and the facts that led to my
promotion, has been received.

I was born and raised in Screven County, Georgia, I came
home from school and joined a battalion of cavalry commanded
by Lieutenant Co. Cummings at Isle of Hope below Savannah,
at eighteen years of age.  This battalion with other cavalry
companies was thrown together and formed the 5th Georgia
cavalry, commanded by Col. Robert H. Anderson of savannah,
and did cost duty, you might say, from Jacksonville to
Charleston.  We joined Johnston’s Army at Kennesaw Mountain.
We were then thrown into brigade, our Col R. H. Anderson
made Brigadier General, Col Edward Bird of Effingham County,
Col of the regiment and R. J. Davant at that time from
Savannah, Lt. Col., and added to Joe Wheeler’s Corps.
General Anderson was wounded at Vernon by McCook’s cavalry,
while our army was ‘round Atlanta, Stoneman and McCook made
a dash to our rear, and McCook was annihilated and Stoneman
captured near Macon.  Wheeler’s Cavalry formed all the
resistance, if really you could call it resistance, that
Sherman’s Army had from Atlanta to Savannah, but we did one
thing at least, we made their Cavalry stick under close
cover of their Infantry.  Now to the facts that led to my
promotion.  About a half mile below Wainsboro our brigade
was thrown into line to attack a portion of the Yankee
Cavalry; I was then acting brigade color-bearer (the color-
bearer Walthour being absent) and their Cavalry charged us,
and the Adjutant of the 9th Michigan regiment came through
our lines and I dismounted him by jabbing him from his horse
with the flag staff.  I made him my prisoner, and took his
horse bridle and saddle, two fine Army revolvers, sabre and
belt.  The sabre belt was a very fine one much nicer than
any used in our Army, and I made it a present to Gen. R. H.
Anderson.  We repulsed the charge of the Yankees, but they
being supported by infantry we had to retreat, and just as
we entered the streets of Wainsboro, I stepped up beside my
Captain Geo. B. Best poor fel! low, he remarked to me, “I
took two shots at that Yank before you got him” The words
had bravely been spoken when a bullet hit him on the back of
the head and killed him, he dying some time during the
night.  Captain Best was a Mason and wore a large Masonic
ring.  He fell into the hands of some of their doctors who
were Masons, and we learned that they gave him all the care
that it was possible to give.  The next morning at Roll Call
I was handed a promotion for “brilliant and conspicuous
gallantry on the field of battle”, from Gen. R. H. Anderson.
Up to this time I was 2nd Sergeant of Company “E”.

I went through the war without being wounded, got very
hungry at times, and the toughest meal I tried to eat during
the war, was a roasted pumpkin without salt.  We surrendered
in N. C. came home and found our place burned and torn to
pieces by Sherman’s Army, reconciled myself and went to
work.
Very Truly,
W. M. Henderson

=================
NOTES:
Father of Mrs. Lizzie Henderson Evans, Mrs. Mary
Henderson Overstreet, Mrs. Emmie Hollingsworth, Mrs.
Annie Henderson Farr and Miss Lottie Henderson, all
members of the Screven county chapter, Daughters of
the Confederacy.  W. M. Henderson was born at Cameron,
Ga., February 28, 1843: entered the Confederate army,
Co. E, Fifth Georgia cavalry, which was made up of
Bulloch, Screven and Emanuel men.  He had intended
enlisting with the Screven troop, but living just
across the river from Bulloch, and having many
schoolmates and close friends across the river, he
went with them.  He was eighteen years of age when he
entered the service February 24, 1862, and served his
beloved cause until May 2, 1865, being in active
service three years and three months.

His regiment did coast duty from Savannah to
Jacksonville, Fla., until the last year of the war:
they joined the western army in April, 1864.  The
following is quoted from letters written home about
himself, while doing skirmish duty in Fla:

''I enlisted in Savannah under Captain A. L. Hendry,
went from there to Jacksonville, located about three
miles out, at Cedar Creek, Fla.:  from there to Adams
Run, S.C., on May 21, 1864.  From there to Western
army under General Johnson:  joined the western army
at Kennesaw mountain, did skirmish duty there until
removed to Saltville, Va., where we fought negroes
mostly; they were made drunk by the Yanks:  we fairly
mowed them down.  Had typhoid fever for six weeks in
the summer of 1863."

His stepfather, J. C. Cameron, tried to secure his
relief from the army after that long illness, in June,
1863, but Colonel Anderson would not accept a
substitute; said he was too good a soldier to release.
And, indeed, no braver, better, more loyal man offered
his life for his country; well may they do him honor.

He was on picket duty in and around Charleston, S.C.,
for six months.  During the year 1862, he was doing
courier duty under General Beauregard.  During a
retreat near Waynesboro he was practically exhausted,
and was picked up and carried to safety by Sergeant
Major James Bird, of the Effingham Hussars, who was
the father of Mrs. George Sharpe, our chapter
historian.

While serving near Waynesboro, Mr. Henderson won
marked honor as told in the following letter quoted
from Mrs. Atwood, wife of one of the captains in the
regiment:

"A Brave Color Bearer"

An incident of conspicuous daring is told of W. M.
Henderson of the cavalry troop which, with the
"McIntosh cavalry", formed the fifth squadron of the
Fifth Georgia regiment of cavalry.  This young man
almost a boy in years, but endowed with all the heroic
valor of his southern ancestry, was acting flag bearer
of his brigade.  When the brigade, overpowered by
numbers, was retreating in hot haste, he, inspired
with the courage born of a just cause, stopped and,
turning his horse to face the enemy, used his flag
staff as a weapon, with which he dismounted the
adjutant of the Ninth Michigan regiment, capturing him
and his horse and bridle and saddle, two fine army
revolvers, saber and belt.  The saber belt was a very
fine one, much nicer than any used in our army, and
was given as a trophy to General R. H. Anderson.  The
Yankees were repulsed and young Henderson was handed
next morning a promotion for "brilliant and
conspicuous bravery on the field of battle."

After the retirement of Captain Hendry, under whom Mr.
Henderson enlisted, Captain G. B. Best was elected to
the captaincy:  Captain Best was killed at Waynesboro,
Ga., while he was standing talking to Mr. Henderson
about the brave feat of Mr. Henderson in capturing the
officer of the Ninth Michigan regiment.  He fought
under General Joe Wheeler near Marietta, Ga., in an
army of 85,000 against 120,000 of the enemy.

His impression of Atlanta, written in a letter to his
sweetheart, who was afterwards his wife, "Atlanta is a
nasty, muddy little town."  He was at Green Pond,
S.C., without tents or any comforts-said-"we had three
turkeys and a rooster for Christmas dinner, three of
the boys appropriated them from somebody's hen roost."

Furloughs were scarce those days, hardships and short
rations were the most they had.  His regiment did
picket duty on the rice fields near Savannah, and it
was during this time that Causey Overstreet was
wounded, which wound eventually caused his death.

"There were about sixteen men from this section who
were members of the same Bulloch troop, and John R.
Evans and myself are the only ones living today-March
13, 1922."

Doing picket duty in North Carolina, while exchanging
shot with the Yanks, the fence he was standing behind
was struck several times, one ball lodging in a rail
directly in front of him.  Had it come through it
would undoubtedly have wounded him seriously.

After serving his beloved south as long as she needed
him, giving his best at all times and under all
conditions, with all his loyalty and unswerving
attention to duty, he came home and married Miss Annie
Brown, of Buena Vista, Ga., and reared a large family.
Children and grandchildren delight to do him honor.

From The Atlanta Constitution, possibly 1922.
Transcribed from original clipping by Carole Farr
Drexel, drexel410@charter.net, a great great
granddaughter of Wm. M. Henderson and his wife,
Cynthia Ann Gray Brown Henderson.  They were married
shortly after the end of the war, according to the
Henderson family Bible record, October 18, 1865.  He
died April 17, 1932, and is buried at the old Oak
Grove Methodist Church cemetery with the rest of his
family.  2-24-2004