Robert M. McGill

Personal Reminiscences of a Confederate Soldier Boy.

Note: Image is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.

The following was written soon after the close of the war, and is here copied simply to show what a common farmer boy saw and heard, and the diary, which is also copied, is to show what he endured as a private soldier, and some impressions made.

Eighteen hundred and sixty was a year of unusual excitement. The election for President was to be held in October. There were four candidates in the field. The National Democratic Convention met in Charleston, S.C. in April, according to appointment. Delegates from nearly all the States in the Union were there. They could not agree.

Many of the Southern delegates became infuriated, and, led by William L. Yancey, determined to break up the convention. A number of them, with Yancey as their leader, appointed another convention, to be held in Baltimore, Md. The remaining delegates at Charleston nominated Stephen A. Douglas. Yancey’s party nominated John C. Breckinridge; American or Know Nothing party nominated John Bell of Tennessee; the Republican party nominated Abraham Lincoln. Two of the candidates being from the South, and the Democrats hopelessly divided, as the campaign was drawing to a close, many of the Democrats were anxious to effect a compromise so as to defeat Lincoln, but the Breckinridge men said, “No. Our man is in the race to stay, and if he is defeated and Lincoln elected, we will secede from the Union.” Lincoln’s name, I suppose, was not printed on a single ballot in the Southern States, at least it would not have been safe for any man to have presented one in most places in the South. After Lincoln’s election, the Southern Democratic leaders proceeded to carry out their threat of secession. Many, many were the urgent appeals made to wait and see what Lincoln would do; that he was bound to abide by the Constitution, and that all rights were guaranteed under that, and Lincoln could do nothing. Wait till he violates the Constitution, and then, and not till then, will you be justifiable in making complaint. But no, they cry, our institutions are not safe with such a man as Abraham Lincoln in the Presidential chair. On December 20, 1860, South Carolina declared she would not longer remain in the Union; passed the ordinance of secession and set up for herself; hoisted her banner with one star and a snake coiled and ready to strike.

At first many speeches were made in the South, both for and against secession, but the Secessionists gained ground. January 10, 1861, Mississippi seceded; January 11th, Alabama and Florida; January 20th, Georgia; and January 26th, Louisiana; February 1st, Texas. February 18th, 1861, Jeff Davis was inaugurated President of the Confederate States, and made his Capitol at Montgomery, Ala. All arsenals and arms belonging to the United States in the South were seized. On 13th and 14th of April, Fort Sumpter, Charleston, S. C., was bombarded and taken. April 17th, Virginia seceded; May 3d, Tennessee; May 10th, North Carolina. I do not care to say just how many of these elections were carried, but I have some very strong impressions along that line.

There was a call for volunteers, and the call was responded to with wonderful alacrity. This encouraged the Southern leaders, and Union men were made to hold their tongues or be imprisoned. This had the desired effect. By this means it all became a one-sided question. Long, loud and bitter speeches were made against Lincoln and his followers. Lincoln called out 75,000 men to preserve the Union and coerce the South back into the Union.

Jeff Davis, by this time, had a large army in the field. War had been the theme for all speeches, and was on every tongue, but still many of the Secessionists declared there would be no war. The North, they said, would never submit to the South being coerced, but if they should, let them come. They cry, “We will welcome them with bloody hands to hospitable graves.” I heard one prominent Secessionist say: “Let them come. We can hire plenty of poor men at $8 per month to do our fighting.”

Many cried: “Cotton is king. England and France can’t do without cotton. They will soon be forced, for the want of cotton, to recognize our independence, and we will soon be one of the greatest nations of the earth.”

The common people were thus led on. Hearing nothing but bitter denunciations of the old government, many that were at first bitterly opposed to secession, turned and advocated the Southern cause.

I was in school. Many of the young men of our county were volunteering in the Confederate Army. Jeff Davis had made several calls for troops, which had all been responded to. Almost every State made up and over its quota of troops. Some of my schoolmates volunteered and tried to get me to enlist, but I told them no; that I was not raised to fight, and I did not think I would like the fun; (great many thought it was going to be something funny). On 18th of July the battle of Bull Run was fought and won by the Confederates, and on the 21st, the battle of Manassas, which was a complete victory for the Confederates. Southern leaders then almost boasted that God was on their side. Sentiment continued to change in favor of the Confederate cause.

At the beginning of 1862 the victories had about equalled, but the Southern army had been slowly pushed back on almost all sides, and the Southern ports were blockaded. Governor Joe Brown, of Georgia, called on the State for twelve regiments. Catoosa County had to furnish one large company. A draft was ordered to be taken March 4th; if quota was not made up. On the 4th of March the militia was called together and formed in line, and a call made, and the men informed that if the quota was not made up a draft would be made at once. Rather than be forced to go by draft, enough volunteered to make out the number wanted. Brother I. L. Magill joined that company. I thought I would stay at home and risk the consequences. I began making a crop, but soon the news came that the Conscript Act had passed the Confederate Congress, which forced every man between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, (except such as were exempted by the Governor), into the Southern Army or take the consequences. This conscript law was to take effect about May 1, 1862. Brother Thomas and myself were subject to conscription. Here was a dilemma that had to be met; there were three horns to the dilemma: Volunteer, be conscripted and placed in a company not of your own choosing and bear the odious name of conscript, or attempt to go North, turning our backs on the home of our childhood and a widowed mother, and run a risk of ten to one of being captured and shot as a traitor to the Southern cause. We chose the first, and joined the same company in which Brother I. L. Magill was, so that we might all be together.

We went to Chattanooga and gave our names to Colonel McConnell, colonel of the 3gth Georgia Infantry, on the 24th of April, 1862, and were permitted to go back home and remain until the 10th of May.

I determined to keep a memorandum of every day that I spent in the army, and I kept my determination for my own special benefit.

I had no thought of writing a history, but wrote these things as an introductory to my memorandum, which I copied in ink after I came home.

Robert M. Magill.

Tunnel Hill, Ga., June 18, 1865.

Now, after these long years, thinking it might throw some light on the situation that existed at the beginning of the war in North Georgia, I give it here. The memorandum follows.

R. M. Magill. Maryville, Tenn.,

October, 1906.


Note: Image is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.