Carrying the Flag: The Story Of Private Charles Whilden, The Confederacy's Most Unlikely HeroBasic Books, 2009年4月13日 - 288 頁 For forty years, Charles Whilden lived a life noteworthy for failure. Then, in a remarkable chain of events, this aging, epileptic desk clerk from Charleston found himself plunged into the brutal battlefields of the Wilderness (May 57, 1864) and Spotsylvania Court House (May 820, 1864). In an astonishing act of bravery, he wrapped the flag around his body and led a charge that won critical ground for the Confederates, changing the course of one of the war's most significant battles. Gordon C. Rhea combines his deep knowledge of Civil War history with original sources, such as a treasure trove of letters written by Charles Whilden, to tell the story of this unusual life. Growing up in a prominent family that had fallen on hard times, Charles received a good education, and his letters reveal flashes of intelligence. But he failed at the practice of law in his home state and in his endeavors elsewhere, including copper speculation, real estate ventures, and farming. After the attack on Fort Sumter, Charles returned to Charleston to enlist in Confederate service, only to be turned down until the rebellion was on its last legs. Even then he saw only a few weeks of combat. But in that time, he discovered a bravery within himself that nothing in his former existence suggested he had. |
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1st South Carolina advance angle appeared arms army artillery attack battle became began Bloody brigade bullets called campaign Carolinians carried charge Charles Charles’s Charleston clearing close Colonel color combat commander Company Confederate Corps Court House dark dead death direction division enemy face farm Federals field fight fire flag followed force front Grant ground guns hand head Hill Hill’s hold horse hundred killed later lead Lee’s lived Longstreet looked McGowan’s miles military morning moved Mule Shoe named never night Northern officers Orange ordered passed plank road position reached rebel recalled regiment remained remembered rest returned River running seemed sent served shot side slaves smoke soldiers Southerners Spotsylvania stood Street thousand tree troops turned Union Virginia Whilden Wilderness woods wounded wrote Yankees yards