William M. Holland

William M. Holland, son of Joshua Holland and Rebecca Ann Trussell, was born in Anderson County, South Carolina on April 2, 1841. He had two sisters, Mary Frances Elizabeth Holland (born 1853) and Willie (born 1863 after his death). William is my half 1st cousin 5x removed. Our nearest common relative is Moses Holland, my 5th great grandfather who served as a drummer in the Revolutionary War.

On November 20, 1850, William and his family lived in the Laurens District of Laurens County, South Carolina. His father was a farmer with real estate valued at $3,600. The 1850 slave schedule shows that his father owned seven slaves—three adult females (ages 25, 50, and 18), two adult males (ages 30 and 20), one 12-year-old male, and a 4-year-old female. 

On June 7, 1860, William, his parents, and sister Mary lived in Regiment 4 of Anderson County. His father was a farmer with a personal estate valued at $300, considerably less than in 1850. Seeing this, I wondered if I had found the wrong family in the 1850 census so did an extensive search of census records. The only family I found lived in Laurens County, so I have to believe it’s correct. Both William and Mary were attending school. 

Less than one year after the 1860 census was taken, William was “among the first to volunteer in the service of his country” when the Civil War began in 1861. On April 14, 1861, he enrolled as a private at Anderson Courthouse for a period of one year in Company J of the Fourth Regiment South Carolina Volunteers led by Captain William Anderson. The regiment, also known as the Confederate Guards, left Anderson, headed to Columbia, South Carolina via the railroad. They were still in Columbia awaiting orders on April 25. While there, the residents of Columbia made sure they were well taken care of. An April 25, 1861 article published in The Intelligencer confirms that:

Departure of the 4th Regt., S.C. Volunteers, "The Intelligencer," Anderson, South Carolina, April 25, 1861. The 4th Regiment S.C.V. received their orders to move toward the seat of war on Saturday the 13th inst., and were prepared to obey it Sunday and Monday following, but owing to a want of cars on this end of the Rail-road, they could not do so until Monday or Tuesday. We were glad to see, that like all the troops we have seen move, they went off in as cheerful mood as it was possible to assume, leaving many a sad heart behind them. They are still in Columbia awaiting further orders, and are well taken care of by the inhabitants of that fair City, who,—as we well know—never do things by halves.

Meanwhile, the same newspaper, on the same day, encouraged families who had the means to help the families of soldiers who had “gone to fight the battles of our country.”

They Battle for Us—We Must Support Their Families, "The Intelligencer," Anderson, South Carolina, April 25, 1861. We understand that many of the 4th Reg. S.C.V., who have gone to fight the battles of our country, have left their families in such circumstances as will soon exhibit suffering, if indeed such is not to some extent already the case. This should not be allowed by those who have the means to prevent it. Many families can with a little assistance be placed so as to help themselves, while others must be positively helped by their neighbors and friends. Look to it friends, it is a duty we owe to them, and should not be neglected. Other parts of the State are looking to this matter, and so must we.

An “Editorial Correspondence” written from the Fourth Regiment’s headquarters in Columbia on April 29, 1861 told of the “uniform kindness, hospitality and agreeable treatment of the soldiers now in their midst reflects the utmost credit upon them as a whole, and will long be cherished by the recipient of their favors” in speaking of the citizens of Columbia. The ladies (every acquaintance knows we never forget the ladies,) are foremost in the good work and untiringly seek to promote the comfort, happiness and welfare of the soldiers.” I’m sure this was comforting for William, who may have been away from home for the first time in his life.

William mustered into Confederate service in Columbia on June 7. On June 15, the regiment left Columbia for Virginia via the railroad, arriving in Richmond on June 17 in what was described by Jesse Walton Reid in his book History of the Fourth Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers as “quite an unpleasant trip.” In a letter to his wife, Reid wrote they “came the most of the way in open dirt coaches.” It wasn’t all bad though. Reid also wrote that they travelled through Wilmington, North Carolina, stopping at towns and depots along the way. People greeted them with “flags and handkerchiefs” and gave them food and drink. It was very festive. The soldiers apparently had plenty of whiskey as well. The regiment left Richmond on June 20, made a short stop at Manassas Junction on June 21, and ended their day in Gainesville, Virginia. After spending the night in Gainesville, they marched to Leesburg, Virginia the next day, arriving at Camp Carolina on June 23. Reid described the area as “beautiful country” that “literally flows with milk and honey.” They did not want for food while there. The regiment camped near the Potomac River, in view of the Blue Ridge Mountains—Virginia on one side of the river and Maryland on the other. The enemy was close by. They remained at Camp Carolina through the end of June. Again, they were treated to any type of food they wanted by the “ladies of Leesburg.” Years later, Reid wrote that during the time they spent in Leesburg, they lived like kings. At the beginning of July 1861, Reid wrote to his wife telling her how healthy the regiment was. He also told her of Virginia preachers coming to camp to preach the Gospel to the soldiers. On July 10, the regiment marched 25 miles from Leesburg to Frying Pan in Fairfax County, Virginia (near Herndon and Dulles International Airport today). Two days later, the regiment was suddenly moved from their Frying Pan camp to a location three miles away, what they would call Camp Holcomb. Over the next few days, there was talk of there being a battle soon as the Union soldiers had signed up for six-months of service and were nearing the end of that timeframe. The Confederate soldiers expected there would be a battle before the Union soldiers finished their six months. It turns out they were right. On July 17, the regiment left Camp Holcomb and marched a hard 14 miles to Prince William County, Virginia, making it in one day. A skirmish took place close by at McLeans Ford although I don’t know if Company J participated. But on July 21, the First Battle of Bull Run took place in Manassas, “the first major battle of the American Civil War” according to Wikipedia. Company J, one of seven South Carolina regiments on the battlefield that day, was part of the lead brigade at the Stone Bridge, “in advance of the regiment, to act as skirmishers” according to Reid. 

First Battle of Bull Run, Kurz & Allison, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

At some point, Company J moved from the creek for another location close by. The Confederates won this battle that went on for 10 hours. Bodies and body parts of all kinds lay scattered over the battlefield afterwards. As the Union soldiers retreated, they left equipment, blankets, vehicles, guns, knapsacks, canteens, uniforms, etc. behind. The Confederates took what they could, along with many prisoners. Although in the thick of the battle, loss and injury was minimal for Company J. On July 26, 1861, the Richmond Enquirer reported that “… private John Simpson, was shot through the heart in a bayonet charge, and instantly killed. Private Kay was wounded in the neck by a piece of bomb.” 

On July 28, Company J marched 7 miles from Stone Bridge to Camp Pettus, near Centreville and then on August 11, they marched 6 miles to Germantown, Virginia. By this time, sickness was starting to set in and soldiers were being sent to hospitals. Many were dying. The measles and other diseases ran rampant throughout the regiment. On September 16, the company marched 10 miles from Germantown to Falls Church, Virginia for picket duty and then marched back to Germantown on September 21. On September 25, the company marched 8 miles to Mills Cross Roads and returned to Germantown on the 28th. At some point during this time, William contracted febris typhoides (typhoid fever), appearing on a report of sick and wounded for October 1861 showing he was at the Germantown and McLeans Ford station in Virginia. He died from the disease on October 1. 

Civil War record of William's death in Germantown, Virginia

I don’t know if William's remains were returned home to Anderson but he has a tombstone in the family plot at Neals Creek Baptist Church Cemetery that reads:

SACRED

 To the memory of

Wm. M. HOLLAND

born April 2nd 1841

died Oct. 1st 1861

For Four Years he was a devoted member of the Baptist Church, he was among the first to Volunteer in the service of his Country. Fought through the Battle of Manassas. After which he was taken with Typhoid Fever and died near Fairfax C.H. Va. In the triumph of Christian faith.

Holland family plot at Neals Creeks Baptist Church Cemetery. William's stone is on the left.

References

• Breazeale, B. B., At the First Battle of Manassas, Company J, 4th South Carolina Infantry, 1912; https://ia600904.us.archive.org/24/items/coj4thsouthcarol00brea/coj4thsouthcarol00brea.pdf. 
• Death of Mr. Joshua Holland, The Intelligencer, Anderson, South Carolina, March 18, 1896.
• Departure of the 4th Regt. S.C. Volunteers, The Intelligencer, Anderson, South Carolina, April 25, 1861.
• Departure of the 4th Regt., S.C. Volunteers, The Intelligencer, Anderson, South Carolina, April 25, 1861.
• Editorial Correspondence, Head Quarters 4th Regiment, S.C.V., Columbia, April 29, 1861, The Intelligencer, Anderson, South Carolina, May 2, 1861.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/101528279/willie-smith: accessed 15 April 2022), memorial page for Willie Holland Smith (30 Oct 1863–24 Jul 1932), Find a Grave Memorial ID 101528279, citing Silver Brook Cemetery, Anderson, Anderson County, South Carolina, USA; maintained by Find a Grave (contributor 8).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/41290788/mary-frances_elizabeth-bowlan: accessed 15 April 2022), memorial page for Mary Frances Elizabeth Holland Bowlan (12 Mar 1853–13 May 1902), Find a Grave Memorial ID 41290788, citing Eureka Baptist Church Cemetery, Anderson, Anderson County, South Carolina, USA; maintained by Cousins by the Dozens (contributor 46904925).
• First Battle of Bull Run; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Battle_of_Bull_Run.
• Mrs. W. H. Smith, The Greenville News, Greenville, South Carolina, July 26, 1932.
• Mrs. Willie Holland Smith, Standard Certificate of Death no. 9881, State of South Carolina, Bureau of Vital Statistics, August 8, 1932.
• Reid, Jesse Walton, History of the Fourth Regiment S.C. Volunteers, from the Commencement of the War until Lee’s Surrender, 1892; https://ia804509.us.archive.org/18/items/fourthregiment00reidrich/fourthregiment00reidrich.pdf. 
• South Carolina Troops in Confederate Service, vol. II, compiled by A. S. Salley Jr., 1914; https://ia600909.us.archive.org/23/items/southcarolinatr00sallgoog/southcarolinatr00sallgoog.pdf. 
• The Battle at Stone Bridge, Richmond Dispatch, Richmond, Virginia, July 25, 1861.
• The Capture of Sherman’s Battery, Richmond Enquirer, Richmond, Virginia, July 26, 1861.
• They Battle for Us—We Must Support Their Families, The Intelligencer, Anderson, South Carolina, April 25, 1861.
• United States Federal Census, Broadway, Anderson County, South Carolina, 1870.
• United States Federal Census, Laurens, Laurens County, South Carolina, 1850.
• United States Federal Census, Regiment 4, Anderson County, South Carolina, 1860.
• William M. Holland, Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of South Carolina.