Episode 45: SGT William V. Izlar and the 25th South Carolina at the Battle of Globe Tavern

At the Battle of Globe Tavern, 21 August 1864, SGT William V. Izlar and the 25th South Carolina advanced alongside the rest of Hagood’s Brigade against what was perceived to be an open flank of the Union V Corps, but in reality occupied by BG Lysander Cutler’s 4th Division.

Sources used for this episode:

Izlar, William V. A Sketch of the War Record of the Edisto Rifles, 1861-1865. Columbia: The State Company, 1914. https://www.loc.gov/item/19014528/.

Davis, George B., Perry, Leslie J., Kirkley, Joseph W. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. ser. 1, vol. 42, pt: 1: Reports. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1893. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077725905&view=1up&seq=3.

Episode Transcript

(00:02):
The battle seemed to halt firingand practically ceased on both
sides, and both armies stood inbreathless expectancy awaiting
the issue of this momentousparlay between these two brave
determined men.
Upon the refusal of CaptainDailey on his second demand of
General Haygood to return theflag, he drew his pistol from

(00:24):
his belt.
And shot the Gallant federalcaptain.

(00:52):
hi, my name is Bill Coghlan andhost the first person Civil War
podcast.
While the generals of both sidesget most of the recognition, the
Civil War was fought by the menin the ranks, and they told
their stories during and afterthe war.
Follow me as I reveal what thesemen witnessed in the battles of
the Civil War.

(01:15):
Episode 45 is entitled SergeantWilliam v Isla in the 25th South
Carolina at the Battle of GlobeTavern, and relies on his book,
A Sketch of the War Record ofthe ATO Rifles 1861 to 1865,
which published in 1914.

(01:36):
William Valmore.
Isla was born in 1840 and livedin Orangeburg County, South
Carolina.
On one March, 1861, William Islaenlisted as a private in company
A, the ATO rifles in the firstSouth Carolina, where his
brother, James f Isla held therank of First Lieutenant.

(01:59):
The A Disto Rifles was a militiacompany that formed in 1851 and
had been one of the firstcompanies to volunteer for
service in South Carolina.
Governor.
Pickens ordered the formation ofthe first South Carolina
Infantry for State Service,commanded by Colonel Johnson
Hagood.
And companies, A, B, C, and D ofthe first South Carolina South

(02:24):
formed an Orangeburg while theremaining six companies hailed
from the neighboring BarnwellCounty.
On 11 April, 1861, private Islaand the Orangeburg companies
made their way to the trainstation and the local citizens
gathered there to see the menoff to war.

(02:45):
Some of the enthusiasticcitizens had taken out one of
the old cannon, which had laidrusting about the streets since
the days that had been used byCaptain Henry Felder and the
Revolutionary War out to thestation and fired a parting
salute.
The gun was not mounted, but wasfired as it lay on the ground.

(03:06):
The muzzle being elevatedsomewhat by having a block of
wood placed underneath it.
Private Isla, and the firstSouth Carolina officially
organized itself on 11 Aprilwhen the companies from both
counties arrived in Charleston.
The regiment formed at the trainstation and marched to the race

(03:27):
course which is present day.
Hampton Park, where it encampedfor the night.
At four o'clock the nextmorning, April 12th, the men
were suddenly aroused by theboom of the first gun fired on
Fort Sumter.
and what proved to be four yearsof bloody nessian war had

(03:48):
actually commenced.
While the bombardment of FortSumter continued private Isla in
the first South Carolina boardeda ferry that took them across
the harbor to Morris Island.
The regiment did notparticipate, but they did
witness the completion of thebombardment and eventual
surrender of the fort toConfederate forces.

(04:11):
Private Isla in the first SouthCarolina occupied the growing
defenses around Charleston until12, April, 1862 when when the
regiments enlistment expired,according to private Isla, many
from the ATO rifles reenlistedand maintained their company
identity.
The rifles were assigned to theUtah Battalion whose commander

(04:33):
sought volunteers to eventuallyform a regiment of infantry.
Though actively recruitingprivate Islam and the Utah
Battalion remained in thedefenses around Charleston and
fought at the Battle ofSecession V in June of 1862.
As the ranks continued to fillthe ATO rifles re flagged as

(04:54):
company G 25th South Carolina,which mustered into service on
22 July, 1862.
Private Isla in the 25th SouthCarolina remain in the defenses
around Charleston and manfortification such as Fort
Wagner and Fort Sumpter.
On one May, 1864.

(05:16):
William Isla promoted to therank of Sergeant and later that
month, the 25th South Carolinashipped up to Virginia and
fought at the Battle of Driesbluff before being transferred
to the army of NorthernVirginia, where it fought at the
Battle of Cold Harbor andseveral engagements at
Petersburg.

(05:36):
Even before the siege ofPetersburg, the city was a
critical logistics hub, actingas the junction for five
separate railroads.
These railroads not onlysupplied Richmond.
But also Lee's army, which havetaken up defensive positions
around the Capitol and the cityof Petersburg.
From June to July, 1864, theUnion Army attacked the

(05:59):
Confederates mainly on the eastside of the city.
The railroads in that directionwere now blocked, but the south
side Railroad to the west andthe Weldon Railroad to the south
still brought supplies into thecity after one failed attempt in
June, Lieutenant General Grantassigned the Union fifth and
ninth course in mid-August toadvance upon the Weldon Railroad

(06:22):
and sever the line toPetersburg.
On 18 August, 1864, majorgeneral Governor Kay Warren's
fifth core met elements ofLieutenant General AP Hill's
third core at the Globe Tavern,along the Weldon Railroad, the
first and second days of theBattle of Globe Tavern saw a
series of attacks and counterattacks, but 19 August ended in

(06:46):
decisively with the union inpossession of the tavern.
On the third day, 20 August,heavy rains prevented a general
engagement, but the Confederatesdid bring up reinforcements.
Sergeant Isla and the 25th SouthCarolina were assigned to the
Confederate Fourth Corps and apart of a brigade consisting

(07:08):
solely of South Carolinaregiments commanded by Brigadier
General Johnson Haygood.
As the brigade arrived at theWeldon Railroad, they reinforced
Major General William Mahomesdivision of AP Hill's third
core.
With the weather favorable tofight on 21 August, Lieutenant
General AP Hill ordered inadvance upon the Union Army who

(07:30):
had in the interim constructedfortifications.
On reaching the ground.
General Haygood was ordered byGeneral Mahome, who seemed to
have charge of the movement tomake the attack at once,
representing to Haygood that theenemy were not entrenched and
that he would strike his flank.
This proved to be a fatal error.

(07:54):
General Mahome planned a frontalassault with the weight of his
division while Haygoods Brigadeattacked on what he perceived
was an exposed flank, but inreality was only a salient in
the union line.
This meant that the SouthCarolinians, who according to
Sergeant Isla, only numbered 743men, were about to attack an

(08:16):
entire section of the fifth coreline by itself.
As Sergeant Isla in the 25thSouth Carolina formed For the
advance, they were alreadywithin artillery range.
When the brigade in column offours was moving into position
for the advance, the enemyopened upon us with artillery

(08:39):
and a file of four men waskilled in the company just in
front of the ATO rifles, and allof the troops in the rear had to
pass over these poor fellows.
The column being at the doublequick, all four were killed by
one shell.
While the Union artillery foundthe proper range, it was not the

(08:59):
case for the Confederates as aprelude to Mahomes Advance was
an artillery barrage designed tobreak up the union defenses.
But according to Major GeneralWarren, the effect of the
barrage was minimal.
August 21.
The enemy at 9:00 AM drove in mypickets on the north and west

(09:20):
and opened with about 30 piecesof artillery.
Crossing his fire at rightangles over my position.
The timber, however preventedhis artillery men from having
any good view of our lines.
Hey Goods brigade began theiradvance, which had to negotiate
moving through a swamp and abeeplaced in front of the federal

(09:42):
works.
Once through these obstacles,the brigade reformed its line
with the 25th South Carolina onthe left flank, besides an NCO
in the ranks, Sergeant Isla wasalso an orderly and noticed
during the advance that theunion line was changing its
front.

(10:02):
I noticed that the Yankees wereforming on our left flank, and I
ran up to the line to the rightto find General Haygood and
report this to him.
He met with a captain insteadand was given orders and tell
him to deploy a company facingto the left to protect that
flank.
I hasten back to find CaptainGordon and deliver this message,

(10:25):
but before I could reach him,the line commenced the forward
movement, and I joined in theadvance when I reached my
company, knowing that it wasfutile to attempt any new
disposition of troops at thattime.
The shifts in the line thatSergeant Isla witnessed was only
part of what proved to be mostlythe fourth division of the fifth

(10:47):
core.
With only one Confederatebrigade to face.
Brigadier General LysanderCutler.
The fourth division's commanderadvanced his left and right
flanks so as to create a concaveline to surround the South
Carolinians on three sides.
With a deafening yell that couldbe heard Above the thunder of

(11:08):
canon and the roar of smallarms, the line rushed forward
into the jaws of death.
Few, few shall part where manymeet.
Into the jaws of death is a linefrom the poem, the charge of the
light Brigade, wherein 1854, aBritish cavalry brigade charged

(11:32):
into a valley surrounded byRussian artillery and infantry
on three sides and wereslaughtered.
Few, few shall, part where manymeet.
Is a reference to the poementitled Hoen Linden, about the
battle of the same name, where aFrench army in 1800 surrounded

(11:52):
in Otro Bavarian army on threesides.
And smashed it.
I saw Lieutenant Kennerley andSergeant Ben p Isla shot down
both of the a Disto rifles.
I ran to my brother, who seemedto have the fatality of being
wounded in every battle in whichhe was engaged and found.

(12:16):
He was severely wounded on theshoulder.
He soon recovered from the shockand I raised him to his feet and
told him to make the best timepossible to the rear.
Despite mounting casualties,Sergeant Isla and the 25th South
Carolina continued with itscharge against infantry and

(12:37):
artillery.
When the charging column hadreached within about 30 paces of
the enemy's line.
It had been so fearfully cut topieces that it appeared too weak
to advance further with any hopeof success, and appeared to
pause for a few moments.

(12:57):
Once the South Carolinianshalted Brigadier General Cutler
sent out his Provost Marshall,captain Daley, to the
Confederate line.
Upon arrival, he sees the standof colors and demanded the
surrender of the entire brigade.
Seeing this brigadier GeneralHaygood rushed to the scene and
spoke with Captain Dailey.

(13:20):
When the line had reached theenemy's works, some 200 men
having gotten into a reenteringangle where they were exposed to
a severe crossfire, becameconfused, and a mounted officer
of the enemy galloping out of asally port, sees the colors of
the 27th regiment.
And called upon them tosurrender.

(13:41):
Several officers and men beganto surrender, but had not been
carried in observing this, Imade my way to them from the
part of the line upon which Iwas.
Calling to the men to shoot him.
They either did not hear me orwere bewildered by the surrender
of part of their number andfailed to do so.

(14:02):
When I got up to him.
I demanded the colors from himand that he should go back into
his works, telling him that hewas free to do so.
Sergeant Isla still in line withthe 25th South Carolina was
witness to such an uncommonexchange upon a battlefield.

(14:22):
The battle seemed to halt firingand practically ceased on both
sides, and both armies stood inbreathless expectancy awaiting
the issue of this momentousparlay between these two brave
determined men.
Upon the refusal of CaptainDailey on his second demand of
General Haygood to return theflag, he drew his pistol from

(14:45):
his belt.
And shot the Gallant federalcaptain.
Major General Warrencorroborates his exchange in his
official report.
General Haygoods brigade strucka part of our line where the
troops were in echelon and theyfound themselves almost
surrounded.

(15:05):
And everyone thinking they hadsurrendered, ceased firing
troops immediately advanced tobring them in when their
officers commenced firing.
And Captain Daley, provostMarshall of the fourth division
was shot by General Hagood.
Upon retrieving the flag,brigadier General Haygood waved

(15:25):
in front of his men in motionfor the brigade to retreat.
Confederates all along the lineattempted to follow their
commander, but by this time theyhad become intermingled with
union soldiers and for many itbecame impossible.
Sergeant Isla managed to returnto the confederate lines
unscathed but Haygood, southCarolinian Brigade suffered

(15:49):
horribly from their ill-fatedcharge.
William Isla alreadyforeshadowed just how deadly the
charge was through poetry, buthe also provided statistics that
truly placed the charge of theSouth Carolinians at the Battle
of Globe Tavern to be on parwith the charge of the light
brigade.

(16:09):
Exact numbers differ betweensources.
Of the 607 men who advancedagainst the Russians at the
Battle of Balaclava, 247 menwere killed, wounded, or
missing, which is a 40% casualtyrate.
At the Battle of Globe Tavern.
The South Carolinians begantheir charge with 740 men, and

(16:31):
according to Brigadier General,Haygood sustained 15 killed 126
wounded and 309, missing orcaptured, totaling 450 men,
which is a casualty rate of 61%.
William Valmore.
Isla died in 1912, but he workedon his book for several years

(16:55):
prior to his death, andeventually a sketch of the war
record of the Aristo Rifles.
1861 to 1865, published in 1914.
In setting out to write hisbook.
It seemed that William Isladesired rigid historical
accuracy throughout the entirework, but he soon found that he

(17:16):
could not help but add personalaccounts into the narrative.
In writing this sketch, it wasmy intention to avoid as far as
possible, all personalillusions.
And confine myself to such factsand incidents as came under my
own observation and with my ownknowledge and at the same time

(17:38):
give a clear and concisestatement without amplification
or hyperbole.
I find, however, in order thatall important events and
interesting incidents, whichgoes toward making a historic
sketch, which I intend this tobe of the a disto rifles be
clearly set forth personalreference, cannot be avoided.

(17:59):
I hope therefore, I may bepardoned for what may appear as
being a little egotistic,although literally true.
Thank you for listening to the45th episode.
Links to Sergeant Isle's bookand social media accounts are
available on the podcastwebsite.
First person Civil Warpodcast.com.

(18:22):
On Facebook, Instagram, x andLinkedIn.
This week you will find apicture of Sergeant William Isla
sometime during the Civil War.
In two weeks time, firstLieutenant Charles T.
Clark of Company H 125th Ohioprovides next episode's first

(18:45):
person account at the Battle ofMissionary Ridge.
my name is Bill Coghlan.
And thank you for listening toFirst Person Civil War Podcast.