War Record of W. M. Henderson Father of Mrs. Lizzie Henderson Evans, Mrs. Mary Henderson Overstreet, Mrs. Emmie Hollingsworth, Mrs. Annie Henderson Farr and Miss Lottie Henderson, all members of the Screven county chapter, Daughters of the Confederacy. W. M. Henderson was born at Cameron, Ga., February 28, 1843: entered the Confederate army, Co. E, Fifth Georgia cavalry, which was made up of Bulloch, Screven and Emanuel men. He had intended enlisting with the Screven troop, but living just across the river from Bulloch, and having many schoolmates and close friends across the river, he went with them. He was eighteen years of age when he entered the service February 24, 1862, and served his beloved cause until May 2, 1865, being in active service three years and three months. His regiment did coast duty from Savannah to Jacksonville, Fla., until the last year of the war: they joined the western army in April, 1864. The following is quoted from letters written home about himself, while doing skirmish duty in Fla: ''I enlisted in Savannah under Captain A. L. Hendry, went from there to Jacksonville, located about three miles out, at Cedar Creek, Fla.: from there to Adams Run, S.C., on May 21, 1864. From there to Western army under General Johnson: joined the western army at Kennesaw mountain, did skirmish duty there until removed to Saltville, Va., where we fought negroes mostly; they were made drunk by the Yanks: we fairly mowed them down. Had typhoid fever for six weeks in the summer of 1863." His stepfather, J. C. Cameron, tried to secure his relief from the army after that long illness, in June, 1863, but Colonel Anderson would not accept a substitute; said he was too good a soldier to release. And, indeed, no braver, better, more loyal man offered his life for his country; well may they do him honor. He was on picket duty in and around Charleston, S.C., for six months. During the year 1862, he was doing courier duty under General Beauregard. During a retreat near Waynesboro he was practically exhausted, and was picked up and carried to safety by Sergeant Major James Bird, of the Effingham Hussars, who was the father of Mrs. George Sharpe, our chapter historian. While serving near Waynesboro, Mr. Henderson won marked honor as told in the following letter quoted from Mrs. Atwood, wife of one of the captains in the regiment: "A Brave Color Bearer" An incident of conspicuous daring is told of W. M. Henderson of the cavalry troop which, with the "McIntosh cavalry", formed the fifth squadron of the Fifth Georgia regiment of cavalry. This young man almost a boy in years, but endowed with all the heroic valor of his southern ancestry, was acting flag bearer of his brigade. When the brigade, overpowered by numbers, was retreating in hot haste, he, inspired with the courage born of a just cause, stopped and, turning his horse to face the enemy, used his flag staff as a weapon, with which he dismounted the adjutant of the Ninth Michigan regiment, capturing him and his horse and bridle and saddle, two fine army revolvers, saber and belt. The saber belt was a very fine one, much nicer than any used in our army, and was given as a trophy to General R. H. Anderson. The Yankees were repulsed and young Henderson was handed next morning a promotion for "brilliant and conspicuous bravery on the field of battle." After the retirement of Captain Hendry, under whom Mr. Henderson enlisted, Captain G. B. Best was elected to the captaincy: Captain Best was killed at Waynesboro, Ga., while he was standing talking to Mr. Henderson about the brave feat of Mr. Henderson in capturing the officer of the Ninth Michigan regiment. He fought under General Joe Wheeler near Marietta, Ga., in an army of 85,000 against 120,000 of the enemy. His impression of Atlanta, written in a letter to his sweetheart, who was afterwards his wife, "Atlanta is a nasty, muddy little town." He was at Green Pond, S.C., without tents or any comforts-said-"we had three turkeys and a rooster for Christmas dinner, three of the boys appropriated them from somebody's hen roost." Furloughs were scarce those days, hardships and short rations were the most they had. His regiment did picket duty on the rice fields near Savannah, and it was during this time that Causey Overstreet was wounded, which wound eventually caused his death. "There were about sixteen men from this section who were members of the same Bulloch troop, and John R. Evans and myself are the only ones living today-March 13, 1922." Doing picket duty in North Carolina, while exchanging shot with the Yanks, the fence he was standing behind was struck several times, one ball lodging in a rail directly in front of him. Had it come through it would undoubtedly have wounded him seriously. After serving his beloved south as long as she needed him, giving his best at all times and under all conditions, with all his loyalty and unswerving attention to duty, he came home and married Miss Annie Brown, of Buena Vista, Ga., and reared a large family. Children and grandchildren delight to do him honor. >From The Atlanta Constitution, possibly 1922. Transcribed from original clipping by Carole Farr Drexel, drexel410@charter.net, a great great granddaughter of Wm. M. Henderson and his wife, Cynthia Ann Gray Brown Henderson. They were married shortly after the end of the war, according to the Henderson family Bible record, October 18, 1865. He died April 17, 1932, and is buried at the old Oak Grove Methodist Church cemetery with the rest of his family. 2-24-2004