Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 16.djvu/129

 The Wee Nee Volunteers of Williamsburg District. 123

tion of Charleston. With our coast and harbors in the possession of the enemy, the United States army had a base of operation which the destruction of every house in Charleston would not materially affect. If the advantage gained at Port Royal had been followed by an im- mediate advance and vigorous attack by land and sea on Charleston, that city would have fallen. The delay of the enemy enabled the Confederates to perfect their plans for defence. By the i2th or 1 5th of November the opportunity to capture the city had passed.

On the 7th of November John F. Cook reached camp, and took fever the night of the same day. He was one of the Wee Nees in Gregg's regiment, and was very anxious to come when the company left home in September, but could not then leave his family. He was sent to the regimental hospital, where he received careful nursing and the best of medical attention. Nothing that his comrades or Dr. Martin Bellinger, the surgeon of the regiment, could do for him was left undone. His case developed into a typhoid fever of very malig- nant type, and neither the skill of the surgeon nor the sympathy of comrades was of any avail. His spirit took its flight to God who gave it.

John F. Cook was a Christian, and one of the best among many excellent soldiers. He discharged his duties promptly, cheerfully, and without murmur or complaint. We selected a beautiful spot under the pines, on the upper end of the island, and with the honors of war laid him in his last resting-place. As a mark of the estima- tion in which he was held, the company sent to Charleston and bought a handsome marble tombstone, with an appropriate inscription carved on it, and erected it at his head. There

" His silent tent is spread, And glory guards with solemn round The bivouac of the dead."

And when the last reveille shall sound, and upon the shores of eter- nity the mustering angel shall call the roll of the faithful, John F. Cook will answer.

A sad occurrence took place at Colonel Hagood's quarters about the loth of November, by which Lieutenant Barnwell, of Lucas' bat- talion, a very promising young officer, lost his life. He had borrowed a pistol from Adjutant Molony, and when returned, it accidentally went off in Molony' s hands, mortally wounding Barnwell. He was sent to his friends in Charleston, and lived only a few days. No blame what- ever could be attached to Molony. He was trying the lock of the