(James) Carrol Jameson (1830-1864), brother of my 3G Grandmother (Frances
(Jameson) Perry) died of apparent food poisoning. This is an interesting narrative,
of one H.M. Singleton, of his death.
From: "Operations of A.C. Earle's Cavalry Company, U.D.C. Vol. II, page 37-
39, Some Recollections of a Confederate Veteran, H.M. Singleton"
"I was a member of Capt. A.C. Earle's Company, made up of South Carolina soldiers
from Pickens, Anderson and Greenville. We were ordered to report to General W.E.
Jones, commanding a brigade of cavalry in West Virginia. We soon found ourselves into
it. Gen. Jones had orders to hold the railroad from Lynchburg, Virginia to Bristol,
Tennessee, at all hazards. That, every soldier knew, meant something. We had to ride
over rough mountains and cross large rough rivers, through the cold, wet, mud. Where
Gen. Jones was, there was his headquarters also. We had no winter quarters or tents.
We were moving all the time day and night.
In November, 1863, we were ordered to meet Gen. Longstreet at Knoxville, Tennessee,
which was a long rough march. I was put on provost guard with twenty-five of our
company at Bristol, Tennessee, to guard our army stores, depot, etc. We had to guard
prisoners and ship them to headquarters. On the 3rd of January, 1864, 12 of us boys
were detailed to carry 13 deserters from Longstreet back to their command, then
in camp at Morristown, Tennessee. We had three days rations in our haversacks,
blankets, guns and forty rounds of cartridges to carry. It was forty-five miles to
Morristown, through a thinly settled section of county filled with bushwhackers, which
made the journey all the more perilous. This trip was made on foot. We were formed in
a line and the prisoners in another, the order read out from headquarters to shoot if
any resistance was made by the deserters. It was the coldest weather we had ever saw
and remained so for about a month. It snowed every day or two and took 13 days to
make the trip. We were not used to walking and the snow and ice soon wore out our
shoes and socks and our feet were sore and bleeding, but we had no way to help it. We
arrived at Holston River at Rogersville. The ferryman informed us that it was a mile
across and mush ice floating in the river and it was hard for us to get along. We all got
over safe and found the snow ten inches deep with a thick crust on top. We tramped
hard that day in order to reach Morristown. Late in the evening we came in sight. We
reported to Gen. Jenkins and turned the prisoners over to the guard and went and drew
two days rations and camped there for the night. No pen can picture or tongue tell of
the suffering with cold and hunger, beside our blistering and bleeding feet. But it was
still worse getting back to the command. It was 85 miles back through snow and ice with
only two days rations and no chance to buy anything or nothing ot buy with. We got
back to Holston River that night and camped under a bluff near the bank and kept from
freezing by scuffling, jumping, and skinning a cat on a big oak limb. Next morning
the river froze over and we were compelled to cross on the ice. That day was clear with
awful cold wind.
We crossed the Holston River on the ice. After we had all crossed safely, we sat down
and gave thanks to our Heavenly Father. We marched on that day and camped out that
night and sent out two of our men to buy or beg something to eat, for we had eaten
frozen biscuit until we were tired of them. When they returned and informed us that they
had the promise of some warm biscuit and fresh mutton for breakfast it made us all feel
better. The weather was still very cold and we would not allow anyone to sleep for fear
of freezing. Next morning we got out the mutton and biscuit and divided it out soldier
fashion for we did not know when we would get any more and started on our march in a
big hurry for our time was out. But before we had gone five miles we all began to get
very sick and had nothing to give relief and nowhere to lie down except on the cold ice.
We soon found out that we had been poisoned for the cold biscuit had a peculiar smell
that would gag us. Now death was preferable to life. By vomiting up all we had eaten
and not drinking any water we all lived through the day and struck up at camp that night.
Next morning two of our men fell at the camp, James Barrott and Carroll Jamison,
neither of them could walk a step. Jamison died, Barrott survived.
We carried them to a house and left them with a good lady and she took care of
them. When Jamison died she had a nice walnut coffin made and buried him at a
Baptist Church.. His name was put on a board at the head of his grave and
marked as follows,"Carroll Jamison of Co. B, 37th Batallion Va. Cav., of Capt. A.C.
Earle's Co., S.C." Barrott reported for duty in about 15 days. We had been gone so
long and marched so long in the cold that we were unable for duty sometimes.
We spent the winter and spring scouting the country around Bristol, Tennessee, to the
Cumberland Gap, taking many prisoners and a number of army stores and forage. The
suffering of the soldiers that winter will never be told.
Early in the spring we moved to Saltville, Virginia, still guarding the railroad and other
public works along that road. We routed them at that place but they kept cutting through
and going on until we captured everything they had and routed them completely. Capt.
Earle was ordered to Saltville again to guard the salt works, for that was an important
place for it supplied the southern army with salt. I shall never forget Capt. Earle for he
was kind. He did not allow any of his company to suffer if he could avoid it. May the
Lord reward him for his kindness to us all. May the Lord bless all the officers of our
company. I will always remember Lieut. J.A. Griffin and Orderly T.P. Looper for that
noble sprit they exhibited with many others. Some have crossed the river."
Notes about H.M. Singleton:
Enlisted in Greenville, S. C. June 10, 1863, in Co. B., 27th Virginia Cavalry. He was
absent, wounded on Nov. 1863-Aug 1864 roll. Admitted Richmond Hosp. Aug 16,
1864.
H.M. Singleton is not found in A.C. Earle's Company in Broadfoot's Guide to Men in
Service from South Carolina. He is listed as having served in the Twenty-Sixth S.C.V.
There is also a Henry M. Singleton listed in Company G of Orr's Rifles. Carroll Jamison
and James Barrott are not shown in the company rolls either. C. Jamison is listed as
having served in Company C of the Sixteenth S.C.V. and there is a Carrol Jamison
listed as serving in Company E of the Second South Carolina Rifles. The Rifles
would have been with Jenkins Brigade, the unit the prisoners were delivered to.
James Barrott is listed as serving with First S.C. Artillery spelled as James Barrett.
Carroll Jamison is listed in Broken Fortunes by Kirkland as having died in
Tennessee serving with Company B of the Thirty-Seventh Virginia Cavalry. This
illustrates perfectly the imperfections of the information found in the Compiled Service
Records and other service records of the Confederate Era. It also shows the importance
of alternate sources like the U.D.C. books, Confederate Veteran, and the Southern
Historical Journal.
