"We swore an oath."

Friday, February 10, 1864, Trenches

The Yankees are playing with us again, d--m them. It was Sunday last, the fifth, about noon, when it was finally somewhere above freezing, that orders came to prepare for a march in one hour. It was a good thing that we are on short rations for we would not have had enough time to cook a proper amount. Our cartridge boxes were full even if we were not.

We marched south and a bit west, towards Hatcher's Run, on a road behind Heth's division which is the very far right of this army. I looked back and saw the entire brigade in line of march with us. The whole of the division might have been there as well. We are so few in numbers that a division might take up only as much room as part of a brigade.

Major General Henry Heth, division commander.

As we marched there was the usual speculation as to where were we going and why. The prevailing opinion amongst all of us high privates is that Grant was trying to get around our right to try again to break up the railroad. We all were very angry at the Yankees for moving against us in the middle of this cold winter, for causing us to abandon the relative comfort of our cabins and trenches.

To our surprise, the column was halted along the works for Heth's boys. Their works were empty as they had marched ahead of us. We were ordered to halt and form a skirmish line. In front of us we could hear artillery and rifle fire. We waited and we waited. At nightfall, our officers ordered us into Heth's works and there is where we spent the night. As it was cold, we built fires using their wood. We burnt nearly every chunk that they had. They will be now just as likely to shoot us as the Yankees.

The Mississippians of Davis' brigade returned that night and told of what happened. It seems that it was a small attack, perhaps just a raid to test our defenses. Whatever it was, our brigade saw no action nor so much as even seen a Yankee. On the sixth, we returned to our own works and burned our own wood.

Brigadier General Joseph Davis, pictured here as a colonel. Davis commanded a brigade of Mississippians in Heth's division.

The next day, we repeated the march and the occupation of our neighbor's works. There was more firing heard and although we were eager and ready for a fight, the only firing we did was the last of our neighbor's firewood. Hancock thought himself a wag. He wrote a receipt for the wood and a promise that the Confederate government would offer compensation upon the presentation of a claim with the proper documentation. Surely they must hate us.

For some time, there have been calls for greater efforts and more sacrifices to win our independence. Pledges have been made amongst some of the brigades and divisions that we would never surrender. We loyal Southrons would fight until liberty and independence were conquered. Recently, it was our brigade's turn to commit to such a pledge. A resolution was drawn up by our brigade to this effect and was voted upon. We swore an oath. Victory or death.

We have heard that some of the boys in the other companies have gone over to the other side.


I Send You These Few Lines


The engagements during the early part of February that Tooms writes about were part of the Battle of Hatcher's Run. It was not a raid but a full offensive. Two Federal Corps, the II and V plus cavalry attacked the Confederate right. The railroad was threatened but not severed thanks to the divisions of Heth and Gordon. However, Grant's were able to extend their lines forcing Lee to extend his, lines that were already too thin.

Andrew Humphries, Commander, II Corps

Gouverneur Warren, Commander, V Corps

During the winter of 64-65, many Southern units passed resolutions declaring resistance to tyranny until victory. Tooms' brigade, five regiments commanded by Brigadier General Samuel McGowan, passed a such a resolution declaring, in part, "Therefore, unsubdued by past reverses, and unawed by future dangers, we declare our determination to battle to the end, and not to lay down our arms until independence is secured. Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it Heaven!"

Samuel McGowan, commander of a brigade of South Carolinians.

Patrick Doran of Company F deserted in January. Daniel Fracheur of Company K deserted in December according to Federal records of prisoners. Both took the oath of allegiance at City Point, Virginia in the same month as their desertion.