The following letter was written by Washington Pinckney Shooter (1837-1864) of Marion county, South Carolina. “W. P.” commenced service in Marion District, August 1, 1861, as a 27 year old Lieutenant, in Co. K, “Meagher Guards” of Charleston, South Carolina 1st Infantry Volunteers. Later he was reorganized into Co. E, South Carolina 1st Infantry Regiment (McCreary’s), as Company Commander, Captain. He was present for all the major battlesof the regiment except Sharpsburg.

On January 4, 1864, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, Regimental Commanding Officer but was killed in action at The Bloody Angle, Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, waving his sword while leading a counterattack.
When some of his Regiment stopped to assist him, he told them to go forward and leave him, saying “I know that I am a dead man; but I die with my eyes fixed on victory!”

In this letter, W. P. wrote a letter to the father of one of the members of his company, 18 year-old Charles Reaves, who was killed in the charge of Perrin’s South Carolina Brigade on the 1st Corps’ last position on Seminary Ridge in front of the Lutheran Theological Seminary. W. P. gives all the particulars of Charles’ death as well as his burial location.

[Note: This letter is from the personal collection of Richard Weiner and was transcribed and published on Spared & Shared by express consent. The painting appearing in the banner of this post is Dale Gallon’s artwork entitled “Day’s End—July 1st”]

Transcription

Bunker Hill, Virginia
Thursday, 16 July 1863

My dear sir,

It is my painful duty to inform you of Charles’ death which occurred on 1st July. I will try to give you the particulars in a few words. On 30 June, our Division bivouacked on South Mountain. Early in the morning on 1 July, we resumed the march and had proceeded but four miles when we came up with the enemy strongly posted on line of hills. Heth’s Division formed the first line and our Division the second. Heth’s Division advanced and drove the enemy about half a mile when we were ordered to charge which we did, driving the enemy before us. When within about 200 yards of the enemy’s batteries, the brigades on our right and left gave way. It was for us a most critical moment but we continued the charge. When within about one hundred yards of the enemy’s works, Charley fell. He was hit just above the right hip by a rifle ball which, however, did not pass through the body. He bled but little externally. He died almost instantly and with but a single groan. He died where I have often heard him say—if it must needs be, he would write to me—on the field in a victorious charge. The last sound that ever fell upon his ears was the shout of victory of his comrades.

On the second (2nd) July, our Brigade was again engaged and we did not have an opportunity to bury him. On [the] 3rd, we found he had been buried by [the] Pioneer Corps. To be sure that it was his body, Lt. Z[ach B.] Smith & [Corp. William J.] Woodward dug down to the body and found it was his. He was buried where he fell, near the corner of a field and a park of [the] Gettysburg Female College. ¹ His pocket book, &c. are in the possession of Lieut. Z. Smith who was badly wounded three days ago at Hagerstown and has been sent to the rear. ²

It is needless for me to try to express in words my grief at Charley’s death. It is equally needless for me to dwell upon his virtues or to praise him. I never saw a young man whom I more admired who was more worthy of admiration. A boy in years but in all else a man—a pure, noble, simple-hearted gentleman. In the graceful courtesies, tender humanities, and kindly charities of life, I never saw his superior. He did not talk but he lived [a] christian. He was beloved by everybody who knew him and was known by every officer and almost every man in the regiment. As a soldier, he had no superior. At all time and under all circumstances, he was ready to do his duty—always at his post and always cheerful and apparently happy and as brave as the bravest. We shall never cease to deplore his loss or fail to honor his memory. He had the mind and qualities to make a great and good man but his early promise has found a bloody grave. I beg you to remember in your sorrow that he died while fighting the battles of his country—and that for his youth, he never did a mean or dishonorable thing. I know the great loss you have sustained most heavily & I sympathize with you and yours. May God temper the afflictions of his family with recollections of his virtue and worth.

I am, my dear sir, most truly yours, — W. P. Shooter

P. S. I would have written much sooner but have been continuously on outpost duty since 1st July. This morning, I am so ill and feeble that I can scarcely stand up. The army got here last night—will resume the march, I expect, tomorrow. We have experienced a serious disaster but not a fatal one. The next victory will be ours.

¹ Given A.P.’s description of the charge and when Charles was wounded, I have to believe that he meant the Lutheran Theological Seminary and not the “Gettysburg Female College.” There was a Young Ladies Seminary that operated in Gettysburg at the time of the battle, but it was located on the corner of High and Washington Streets.

² Lt. Z. B. Smith of Co. E died of his wounds on 1 September 1863.