The Custer Connection

The Civil War often produced some surprising connections between major figures on the two sides of the conflict. One little-known incident involved John W. Lea from the 5th Carolina, which would later become part of Iverson's Brigade. Lea was born on Sept. 16, 1838 and spent his early years in Caswell County, North Carolina. Following the death of his father in 1855, financial problems forced his family to move in with his uncle at Holly Springs, Mississippi. Lea received an appointment to West Point from that state two years later. During his time at the academy, he became best friends with his fellow cadet, George Armstrong Custer, who gave him the nickname "gimlet." Lea resigned from West Point in December of 1860 and helped raise a volunteer company in his home state. 

 He entered the war as captain of that company, which soon became part of the 5th North Carolina. In early May of 1862, Lea was cited for bravery during the fighting at Williamsburg, where he was wounded and captured. While being held  under house arrest in Williamsburg, Lea married Margaret Durfey, who was one of the local women who attended his wounds. The guests at his wedding included his old friend Custer, who served as the best man. Custer noted in a letter to his sister that they "were both struck by the strange fortune which had thrown us together again under such remarkable circumstances."  

Lea remained a prisoner until early in November, when he finally rejoined the regiment. He later received promotion to the rank of lieutenant Colonel and served with his regiment in Iverson's Brigade.  Following the war, Lea became a minister in West Virginia and died there in 1884.

 

New Focus on Mystery Officer

Until recently, few details were available on Adjutant Junius B. French from the 23rd North Carolina, who was mortally wounded during the fighting on July 1. He first appeared as the acting adjutant in the official report for Chancellorsville. The report for Gettysburg noted that he was mortally wounded. Because he served with the regiment for such a short time, his complied service record adds almost no additional information. Some further sleuthing has uncovered many additional details on this mystery officer.

 French has a detailed biography in John Lipscomb Johnson, The University Memorial: Biographical Sketches of the Alumni of the University of Virginia Who Fell in the Confederate War (Baltimore, MD: Turnbull Brothers, 1871), 485-487. Junius Butler French was born in Virginia in 1837. During his early years, he live in Washington, D.C., Brooklyn, New York, and Texas. French enrolled in law school at the University of Virginia in 1859. Two years later he took up the study of law with a judge in Charlotte, North Carolina. During the following year, the young Virginian opened his own practice.

At the outbreak of war, he joined the 1st North Carolina regiment and served at the battle of Bethel. French later served briefly in another Tar Heel regiment. Just prior to Chancellorsville, he took the position as adjutant of the 23rd North Carolina.

The source also adds several additional details on the lieutenant's  death at Gettysburg. The former University of Virginia law student suffered horribly when his foot was "shattered by a ball" as he was "urging his men forward" from Oak Ridge into town on the first day of the battle. While lying on the field, French was "struck with two other bullets, one of which entered the thigh, and ranging upward penetrated his abdomen." The injuries proved so severe that the young officer died "at day break" on the following day.

Was Iverson Drunk at Gettysburg?

The widely held belief that Iverson was drunk at Gettysburg appears to have no basis in fact. The only story to support that claim came several decades later from a soldier in Ramseur's Brigade. "General Ivison, who was a drunk, I think, and a coward besides, was off hiding somewhere, while his brigade . . . was being beaten by the Yankees," he wrote in his reminiscences for a small college magazine.

I have looked at dozens if not hundreds of letters and diaries from Iverson's brigade. Aside from that comment, not a single contemporary account indicated that Iverson was intoxicated at Gettysburg--or indeed at any time during the war. Iverson was so badly disliked that there certainly would have been some mention of his drinking if there was even a kernel of truth to the story. In fact, during their stay along the Cape Fear early in the war, Iverson even threatened to have some of the officers from his regiment for their drunkenness. It's time to put this speculation to rest for good.

Attack on the Wagon Train

I have recently obtained some copies of the court of inquiry for the capture of the quartermaster train for Col. Edward O'Neal's Brigade during the retreat from Gettysburg. This material is contained in the compiled serve record for the brigade quartermaster. There are some interesting details, especially regarding the loss of much of the brigade's payroll during the attack. So, not only did O'Neal's men get torn to shreds right before Iverson's attack, but they did not even get paid on time.

Major James C. Bryan, who served as the brigade quartermaster, reported that the enemy seized 10 of his wagons and two ambulances along the road that night. The toll included his headquarters wagon and a large part of the money for the brigade's payroll. Only some quick action on Bryan's part prevented a much worse outcome. The quartermaster noted that the Federal horsemen "in all probability would have captured the whole of my train" had he not succeeded in rallying a lieutenant and 16 men, who "made a charge upon the enemy driving them back."

New Award

I have recently added the Distinguished Book Award from the Gettysburg Civil War Round Table to the list of awards. This one is especially meaningful coming from such a knowledgeable group located in Gettsyburg itself. I am beginning planning for a trip to Gettysburg to accept the award this fall. I look forward to meeting some new friends there. I will post further details of the trip as it gets closer.