Home John O'Moore Carson
Confederate Veteran April 1929
 
JOHN O'MOORE CARSON, eldest son of JASON HAZARD and JEAN O'MOORE CARSON, was born at White Oak Hall, Polk Co., N.C. The family moved to Spartanburg Co., S.C. in 1854, but MR. CARSON held his citizenship in N.C. and was one of the signers of the Ordinance of Secession of that State.

At the outbreak of the war, JOHN volunteered and served as a member of Company C, Holcombe Legion. While stationed at Adams Run, he and two others volunteered to reconnoiter on Edisto Island, an account of which is given ....' Head Quarters Third Military District, March 16, 1862 Adams Run, S.C.  .....General Orders, No. 13.
by order of GENERAL EVANS.....
     
{ John Carson afterwards transferred to Tucker's Cavalry, Company Seven.}
  
The following letter gives a little more on the expedition for which he was commended:
Camp Blair, March 17, 1862.
 
" Dear Ma, I wrote to you on Friday that I would be on a scouting excursion and might be absent  for ten or twelve days, but the fact of the matter is that Colonel P.E. Stevens called for 3 men on Friday evening to go on a very dangerous excursion. Sergeant KIBBER and Private SHEALY and I stepped out and volunteered to go. [ It is said that John was the first to volunteer to go ]. We then received instructions to pack up as much provisions as we could carry and prepare to start on a scouting expedition to Edisto Island. The Yankees hold possession of that island and are supposed to be in great numbers.
   
I was afraid to tell you about it till I got back.... Well, we left camp early Saturday morning and proceeded to Pineberry, took a boat, and paddled down the Dawhoo River toward the coast. We wandered about all day and all night.....we got lost and finally arrived yesterday morning. We took a fresh start and across Watts Cut....then we went forward about two miles to the first house...and squatted behind some bushes to reconnoiter. We had been there only a few minutes when we saw a buggy drive up containing 3 Yankees. We waited until they got close when we stepped out and accosted them, ' Good evening , gentleman'. They returned the salute in great surprise, when we ordered them if they had any arms, to give them up. I forgot to tell you that we were armed with a pistol apiece and a spyglass. They surrendered and gave up their pistols...then we made them unhitch their horse and turn him loose... the men turned out to be lieut. colonel of the 55th Pa. Regiment, a first Lieut. of the 42nd N.Y. and a government agent, who has charge of the negroes on Edisto and was planting cotton for his Majesty, Abraham. A pretty good haul , I think. The colonel promised us a furlough on the strength of the capture and I may be home in a week or so.
     
Send me something to eat by MR. TWITTY.
     
Write soon to your affectionate son, John Carson"
[ Copies of original papers furnished by Mrs. S. M. Carson, sister of John].
 

 

 
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