An Alabamian's Memories of Breckinridge’s Charge and a Chance Meeting with General Lee

As the boys of western Alabama went off to fight the Great War in 1918, William Battle Stansel, a veteran of the 41st Alabama during the Civil War, penned the following short history of his regiment “so the children of the old boys will know what their fathers did and where they fought the Yanks.”

          It’s an extraordinary short history complete with his memories of charging across Stones River with the Orphan Brigade on January 2, 1863, and a chance meeting with General Robert E. Lee on June 18, 1864, during the Second Battle of Petersburg when the 41st was holding a critical point in the lines. “About 6 a.m., General Lee came up to the lines and as he got into Co. C, he said, “Hold the lines my brave boys. My men will soon be here,” Stansel remembered. “Jim Sparks said, “Go on General and rest easy. When those Yanks get these lines, we will all be dead men.” Lee held out his hand to Jim and said, “My brave man, that’s the way I love to hear you talk.”

          Corporal Stansel’s memoir first saw publication in the April 11, 1918, edition of the Pickens County Herald and West Alabamian published in Carrollton, Alabama.

 

This ornate brass Confederate infantrymen's jacket button was originally produced by Scovill in England, run through the blockade, then finished by Halfmann & Taylor in Montgomery, Alabama for distribution throughout the western Confederacy. (Army of Tennessee Relics)

          I belonged to Company C and we were mustered in on the 25th day of March 1862 at Spring Hill, Alabama, 112 men strong. We met at Carrollton on the 6th of May and went to Tuscaloosa where we guarded prisoners. The 41st Alabama was organized then. Seven companies were from Pickens County and Tolgert was colonel, M.L. Stansel lieutenant colonel (William’s older brother), and Trimler was major.

          I was taken sick with measles on the 20th of May and then typhoid pneumonia and was taken home on the 20th of June and wasn’t able to get back to the army until October 8th when I joined the regiment at Cumberland Gap, Tennessee. On the 19th of October, we left Cumberland Gap for Murfreesboro and we arrived there on November 8, 1862. The 41st Alabama was put in the Kentucky brigade known as the Orphan Brigade. On the 1st of December, the brigade went with Morgan to Hartsville. We got there all right and Morgan captured over 2,000 Yanks and all their arms. 

          On the 27th we went out to the front to help stop the Yanks and we sure had a hard time of it for six days. On the 2nd of January 1863, Breckinridge’s division charged the Yanks on our right. This is known as Breckinridge’s fatal charge across Stones River. Co. C was in the front line and we charged the Yanks, killing and capturing their whole line. On Co. C went and down goes Jim Simpson. I looked around and there wasn’t a man in sight. I was alone. I made for a tree in front of me when a Yank stepped from behind it and fired at me, just missing me. However, as he whirled to run, I made for him and shot him in the back and down he went.

          As I stepped behind tree, a voice said “That was a good shot. That rascal came near killing me.” I looked around there stood Captain Cason. The second line came up and one of the officers said, “Forward your men captain.” Cason replied,” I have no men to forward.” So, he and I fell into line and forward we went. We ran the enemy across the river and took several hundred prisoners. Jim Simpson was shot in the neck but got well and went through the war O.K.

The 41st Alabama were among the troops of the Orphan Brigade who charged across Stones River on the afternoon of January 2, 1863.The Alabamians lost 143 men in the charge, its heaviest single day loss in the entire war. (Stones River National Battlefield) 


          The brigade fell back to Tullahoma and Breckinridge’s division went to Manchester and left about the 1st of June 1863 for Jackson, Mississippi and fought Grant from Vicksburg back to Jackson. On the last of August, we left Mississippi and went to Chickamauga and fought in the battle of Chickamauga. Colonel Tolbert resigned at Murfreesboro and that gave our regimental officers as Colonel Stansel, Lieutenant Colonel Trimler, and Major Nash. Nash resigned and L. Hudgins was promoted to fill his space.

          On the 9th of November 1863, the 41st Alabama was transferred to Gracie’s Alabama brigade and we bid farewell to the Jay Birds as we called the Kentuckians. So, the 41st Alabama is now in Gracie’s Brigade, Bushrod Johnson’s division of Longstreet’s corps. On the 12th of November, we left for Knoxville and fought all over east Tennessee until March 1864. Captain Cason lost his arm at Bean’s Station and was discharged which made J.C. Morehead captain of Co. C.

          On April 27, 1864, the 41st Alabama left Tennessee for Richmond and went into camp near the Seven Pines battlefield. On May 6th, we went to Drewry’s Bluff and on the 10th, Gracie’s brigade went out and drove the Yanks back to their earthworks. On the 11th we went back to Richmond and got there just in time to save Richmond from the Yankee cavalry. We fought there all day on the 12th and killed or captured lots of them.

The brigade went back to Drewry’s Bluff on the night of the 13th and arrived there the next day completely worn out. Old Spoons Butler was doing his best to take it. On the 16th, Gracie’s brigade charged their breastworks on the right, took the works, and several hundred prisoners. We soon had Butler in full tilt for Bermuda Hundred where Beauregard put him in a bottle and corked him up.

General Robert E. Lee

On the night of June 16, 1864, Beauregard pulled up and went to Petersburg to head old Grant off and he got there none too soon. We fought Grant two days before Lee arrived. Major Hudgins was killed on the 18th; a good and brave officer. About 6 a.m., General Lee came up to the lines and as he got into Co. C, he said, “Hold the lines my brave boys. My men will soon be here.” Jim Sparks said, “Go on General and rest easy. When those Yanks get these lines, we will all be dead men.” Lee held out his hands to Jim and said, “My brave man, that’s the way I love to hear you talk.”

Lee’s men got in and that made the lines safe for nine months. General Archibald Gracie was killed on December 2, 1864. The 41st Alabama left the trenches in front of Petersburg in March and went to Hatcher’s Run where on the 25th of March, Co. C was captured and sent to Point Lookout Prison. Jim White, Poe Gentry, and I are all that are left alive of those who were in prison. Lieutenant Colonel Trimler was killed a few days before Lee’s surrender.

 

Source:

Account of Corporal William Battle Stansel, Co. C, 41st Alabama Infantry, Pickens County Herald and West Alabamian (Alabama), April 11, 1918, pg. 2

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