to that emulation of Saragossa alluded to as prevailing at an
earlier period.
The field officers were Colonel A. H. Brown (the assistant
provost marshal), Lieutenant Colonel R. N. Gourdin and Major
W. A. Wardlaw—the two latter prominent merchants of the city;
and in the ranks were such men as ex-Governor Aiken, Hon.
W. D. Porter (president State Senate), Chancellor Lesesne, Mr.
Bryan, afterwards judge of the United States Circuit Court, and
many others of equal position. In fact it embodied all the exempt
respectability of the city and numbered on a review before the
enemy landed 1,250 men. When called on for duty, 150 responded
—the balance had left the city with their families, or if present
succeeded in evading the call. Those who responded did their
duty with zeal and fidelity. It was at once a pitiable sight and
one to elicit admiration to see these old grey-haired gentlemen,
most of them wealthy, and all of them requiring and accustomed
to ease and comfort, exposed to the inclemency of the weather
and standing in their citizen's dress with double-barreled shotguns
as wardens over the half-burned and deserted city, while the
occasional boom of a gun from James Island furnished the
explanation of the spectacle.
Among these devoted men was William H. Heyward, lately
colonel of the Eleventh Regiment, assigned afterwards to
Hagood's Brigade. The writer of these Memoirs had not the
honor of a personal acquaintance with him. Educated at West
Point, and of large wealth, his life had been spent as a bachelor
in the indulgence of manly and refined pleasures. He had made
no effort at other than social achievement, but had certainly succeeded
to an unusual extent in not only attaching to himself a
circle of ardent friends, but in impressing upon them his ability
for high performance had circumstances called upon him for
exertion. Upon the organization of the Eleventh Regiment, he
had been without opposition made its colonel—had discharged
his office with ability—and had, with many other good officers,
perished in the elections consequent upon the recent re-enlistment.
Now, over 60 years of age, and unwell, he served as corporal in
the Reserve Regiment and died a few weeks afterwards from the
exposure.
When the enemy landed on James Island, Colonel Hagood
claimed General Pemberton's promise to relieve him, his regiment,
under Major Duncan, having been dispatched thither; but
obtained leave to be absent only for the engagement then imminent.
He was accompanied by his assistants, at their earnest
request, as volunteers. The engagement was but partial and the
experiences of the provost party were confined to sustaining a
heavy gunboat shelling and a night of picket duty accompanied
by heavy rain, and the dropping of an occasional shell on the
line.
Now, however, the occasion for keeping him on this detached
duty having passed, he on the 9th June obtained an order relieving
him, with directions to resume command of his regiment.
Colonel A. H. Brown, commanding Reserves, was appointed
provost marshal in his stead.
