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Rough Notes of Rough Adventures by a Twelve-Month Volunteer in the Confederate Service…
[North Carolina, 17 December 1861–26 February 1862]. 9.5” x 7.65”. 18 pp. manuscript in ink on 10 loose leaves. Period manuscript annotations in pencil indicate dates of entries, suggesting this document is drawn from the author’s diary. Accompanied by an earlier manuscript document in ink, 7.25” x 7.25”, 1 p., dated 4 October 1847, and a printed army service card, 4.5” x 2.75”, evidently created after his service in the rebel army, which details his service in the Mexican-American War and the Civil War. CONDITION: Good, a few ink stains, toning and chipping along margins, but no losses to the text. A compelling narrative by a Confederate officer documenting two months of his service with the 38th North Carolina Regiment less than a year before his election to the North Carolina State Legislature. Born in Richmond County, North Carolina, Major Sanders Meredith Ingram (1819–1905) was a planter, lawyer, officer, and politician. After attending Wake Forest College as part of its inaugural class, he moved to Bolivar, Tennessee to teach. When the Mexican-American War (1846–48) broke out he enlisted as a private in the 1st Tennessee Cavalry Regiment. At the end of a year’s service he returned to Tennessee and then removed to Rockingham, North Carolina, where he taught school. It was sometime in the 1840s that he earned his law degree. When North Carolina seceded from the Union in 1861, Ingram enlisted in the 38th North Carolina Regiment, Co. E as a private. In October he was promoted to Lieutenant and he served in the 38th until November 1862, when he resigned to serve as Richmond County representative in the North Carolina State Legislature. After the war he was a popular speaker at Confederate reunions. He practiced law and farmed for many years in Richmond County and is recorded as having hired slave labor. Around 1900 Ingram retired to live with one of his daughters in Star, North Carolina, where he died in 1905. “Rough Notes of Rough Adventures by a Twelve-Month Volunteer in the Confederate Service” documents Ingram’s time with the 38th North Carolina Regiment between December 17th, 1861 and February 26th, 1862. The narrative, which is true to its title (consisting of notes in diary form), opens with the 38th in Mineral Springs, North Carolina. While Ingram does not record his unit seeing any action, his narrative is nevertheless of interest for his observations on both local conditions as well as the broader war (including the aftermath of the Battle of Roanoake Island). The regiment travels to Camp Mangun, where it remains from December 20th until February 10th, when they march through Goldsborough, Halifax, and Clarksville. On February 14th they travel by train to Weldon—a journey that Ingram describes in vivid terms: “Col. Roberts got mad, the engineer slapped on steam and away we went, yelling like devils, the iron horse snorting, whizzing, rateling and clattering, for Weldon.” The regiment remains at Weldon for the rest of Ingram’s narrative. On February 16th Ingram learns of the “defeat of our army and the capture of our soldiers at Roanoake Island” (“It is truly a heavy blow”), and vows to avenge the slain Confederates. The Battle of Roanoake Island (February 7–8, 1862) took place some 150 miles east of Weldon. Ingram quotes at length a conversation he has with Col. William O. Hoke that touches on Abraham Lincoln and Hoke’s affirmation that “there is no other alternative left us but to endure these hardships…and fight for our country.” They learn on the 17th via dispatch that Fort Donelson in Tennessee has fallen to Union naval and land forces: “The battle has been a bloody one and the defence is one of the most heroic achievements of the war. The loss of this post will be sevearly felt in the West.” The following day he records seeing women and children fleeing the eastern part of North Carolina (“I can but sympathize with these unfortunate people, leaving the homes of their youth and everything dear to them on earth”). On the 18th, after receiving a full account of the Battle of Roanoake Island, Ingram names those rebels who were killed, wounded, and taken prisoner. The next day they learn that citizens of Elizabeth City, North Carolina have burned and abandoned the city to prevent it from falling into Union hands. In light of this encroachment, Col. Hoke issues an order to people living in Roanoke Country to burn their cotton within twenty miles of the river. Ingram dwells on what he describes as “the mania for office among politicians without military experience as soldiers,” and discusses at length the relation between politics and the military. He notes that Capt. Edmondson of Scotland Neck is raising a guerrilla cavalry force—“the most effective mode of warfare”—for Halifax and Northampton County, North Carolina “to resist and drive back the enemy from the waters of the Roanoke.” He records that Fort Henry in Tennessee has fallen to the Union (“a great misfortune to us”)—resulting in the death of eighty rebels. On February 21st Ingram receives a dispatch reporting that the Union has attacked the town of Winton, North Carolina, some fifty miles from Weldon. He also learns that relatives of his in Florida, the Peacocks, are “doing good service” for the Confederacy. On the 22nd, members of the 38th Regiment guard the Weldon bridge from possible attempts by Union forces to destroy it. They receive news the following day that the city of Nashville has fallen to the Union (“This intelligence struck us like a clap of thunder in a clear skye”). Although “Nashville is gone,” he writes, “Tennessee is not conquered yet. Her gallant sons will fight on.” On the 24th, Col. Leaventhorp’s Regiment arrives at Weldon: “[Leaventhorp] is an Englishm[a]n by birth and has served in the English army and has considerable experience as a soldier. He is a strict disciplinarian and will do good service if he ever meets the Yankees.” The next day Capt. Joseph B. Lyle’s company, “the O.K. Boys” from Anson County, North Carolina, arrives on the way home from the Battle of Roanoake Island. Ingram’s final entry, dated February 26th, records the arrival of some 125 Union prisoners in Weldon. Accompanying the “Rough Notes” is a one page document relating to Ingram’s attempt to obtain a license to practice law in Hardeman County, Tennessee in 1847. The document states that Ingram is a student of law, has been a resident of Hardeman County for two and a half years, and is a man of good moral character. “Rough Notes” is mentioned in a brief biography of Ingram compiled by an archivist at Wake Forest University, known at that time only in the form of a single newspaper publication. The paper is not named, and we have been unable to find the published story either in OCLC or via searches in Google, Newspapers.com, or ReadEx. SOME REPRESENTATIVE PASSAGES 15 February 1862 “The wind rose this morning and blew a cold blast from the North. The snow and sleet fell fast and the trees were covered with sleet and ice. It was difficult to keep our fires burning on account of the wet, and it was too cold to remain in the tents…it rained and sleeted on, and we shook and shivered in the cold. We cut pine tops and placed around our fires to keep us out of the mud. Many of the officers, finding the camp too rough for them, fled to the tavern in Weldon for quarters. A guard was placed at each end of the bridge, and not even high prides could cross with the countersign.” 16 February 1862 “We were ordered this morning to strike tents and take our position in line at the encampment. We packed our tents and bagage through the mud, stretched a few of them, but before we had time to stretch all, the rain begin to fall in torrents. It is truly a dark and gloomy day, and to add to our troubles, we have just heard of the defeat of our army and the capture of our soldiers at Roanoake Island. It affected our feelings very much. Many of us had friends and acquaintances and relations there. It is truly a heavy blow, and I fear will have a tendency to discourage our own troops in the eastern part of the state. The hour is a dark one, and I feel like I shall just lie down and dye, but there is some consolation our men fought well and bravely, and the spirit that animated them will animate others…They had no means or chance to retreat, and were compelled to fall into the hands of the enemy, and were carried away captive. Poor fellows, we knew some of them long and well, and we know that many of them would have preferred death to surrender, but the darker the night the brighter the dawn. May the god of heaven grant that it may be so. If we are conquered, we are a ruined people. Better be dead and we are fully determined to enjoy the liberties that our forefathers have bequeathed to us or die in the attempt. And we declare before Almighty god that we will aid and defend each other to the last moment of life, and that if we fail, we will fail like men, fall together in one common conflict amid the fire and smoke of battle rather than live in disgrace and inglorious repose.” 16 February 1862 “I waded through the water and crossed over to Col. Hoke’s marque. I did not expect to find the Col. at home, thinking that he like others had retreated to the tavern. But, like a true soldier, he was there…‘Good morning,’ said the Col. ‘Good morning, sir. This weather is desperate, the rain is increasing. Is it not. I think it is, Sir.’ ‘I scarcely know what we will do, there is no chance to move from here at this time, and I do not know of a better place. I wish we were back in the Oak Grove at Halifax.’ It would be more comfortable, Sir. ‘This tornado,’ says the Col., ‘continues unabated and is now blowing from the North. Last night was a long, long night to me, with considerable exertion. I made myself as comfortable as possible, but it is bad at that. Abram Lincon is putting us to a great deal of trouble. We have been making them rich and supporting them for years. We simply asked of them our rights and to let us alone, which they have denied us. We asked of them a peacible separation, and to let us go and govern ourselves the best we could. This they denied us. They have oppressed us for years, encroached upon our rights as a people, and are now determined to rule us as with a rod of iron. There is no other alterative left us but to endure these hardships, the ups and downs of a soldier’s life, and fight for our country.’” 18 February 1862 “We struck our tents today and half of the Regiment left the mudhole in which we have been encamped, and crossed the river and encamped in the suburbs of Weldon on a dry ridge. Hundreds of women and children are fleeing from the eastern part of the state. Every car that passes west is crowded. I can but sympathize with these unfortunate people, leaving the homes of their youth and everything dear to them on earth. And seeking a home and an asylum among strangers. Where is the heart so hard and callous as not to be moved by scenes so sad as these. We received today full accounts of the battle of Roanoake Island. Col. O. J. Wise fell at the head of his command, cheering his men on to the contest. The battle was a desperate one, and our men fought desperately. The following persons were killed…” 19 February 1862 “A letter from Elizabeth City [North Carolina] brings the intelligence this morning that the citizens of that place had burned and abandoned it to prevent it from falling into the hands of the enemy. Heavy firing was heard in that direction today. Col. Hoke has issued an order to the people of the Roanoke country to burn their cotton within 20 miles of the river in case the enemy approaches this region of the country. This looks like a great sacrifice, but better to burn it than for it to fall into the hands of those who are seeing our destruction. The officers of the staff of the 38th Regiment were read out this evening. The following persons were appointed by the Col. Hoke…” 19 February 1862 “The mania for office among politicians without military experience as soldiers and the habits of those whose lives disqualify them for military command, is one of the most dangerous signs of the present war. Some of those characters look for high offices, and through political intrigue succeed in getting offices, and at the same time have not the first military qualification. The condition of the country needs the services of all that are capable of bearing arms, and those that are incapable of discharging the duties of officers should enlist as soldiers and learn by experience how to discharge their duty before they accept of high positions. If they have merit, it will be discovered and they will be put in proper places. If every soldier was competent for an office, it would be so much better for the army, and so much depends on having competent officers if men are not qualified they should neither receive nor accept offices. An officer should remember that discipline is as important and necessary for himself as it is for the private, and that what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.” 22 February 1862 “‘The Richmond Boys,’ under the command of Lieutenant D. J. McRae, were detailed last night for the purpose of guarding the Weldon bridge. It is feared that the Yankees will run their gunboats up the Roanoke and blow up the bridge. Our boys were expecting them last night, and were ordered to fire on any persons that might come near them if they did not give an account of themselves when halted. They got a dram as they went through Weldon—common ball face at 5 dollars per gallon, and were in good fix for fighting when they got to the bridge. The channel of the river is about 300 yards wide, and from twelve to fourteen feet deep…The sentinals on the bridge heard the crackling of sticks and brush on the island and supposed it to be Yankees, and down the steps with McRae at their head they rushed. Fire, sais McRae, and bang, bang, bang, went their guns. On an examination next morning, several balls were found in a stump and no track of the enemy found. The bridge is a splendid structure about 640 yards long.” 23 February 1862 “We received the unwelcome tidings today that the city of Nashville Tennessee had fallen into the hands of the enemy…Though Nashville is gone, and Memphis may follow, yet Tennessee is not conquered yet. Her gallant sons will fight on. They may meet with reverses…It is seldom the case that a people conquer in every battle. Though the news for the last few days has been discouraging, but at the same time let us not despair. Those reverses should rouse our energies, make us more determined to do our whole duty. Every lover of his country, his home and family, should be up and doing. Action, persevering and unrequited action, should be our motto. Where is the heart so cold and unfeeling as not to be moved by scenes such as are daily taking place in our sunny South. Women and helpless children ruthlessly driven from their homes and firesides by the offscouring of the earth, but we will never despair of final success.” 26 February 1862 “About 125 Yankee prisoners arrived at Weldon today. Those men have been overcome and conquered, but they are well cared for and treated as men, respect in their adversity and protected from insult. In fact, from the highest General to the private, we preach ‘never tramp upon a fallen foe.’ Those Yankee prisoners had made finger rings of the beef bones and they were beautiful. Some of the boys purchased several of them. The Yankees appeared perfectly friendly and most heartily did I wish that no other feeling than that of friendship should ever have been necessary and we trust the day is not far distant when this unnatural and fratricidal war will close, and that the proximity of the two sections will create an irrepressible[?] bond of fellowship which will resist all the intrigues and machinations that the political demagogue may be able to bring against it.” A rich account of the service of a noted North Carolinian in the Confederate Army. REFERENCES: “Maj Sanders Montgomery Ingram” at Find A Grave online; “Major Sanders M. Ingram” at Wake Forest University online; “Sanders Meredith Ingram Papers” at University of North Carolina online.
Item #8662
Price: $2,750.00
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